This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
Foods That Hold Teeth Whitening Properties
To maintain your pearly white teeth and keep them dazzling, even when you get older isn’t that hard to accomplish. While stained teeth can tend to get worse as you aged because of the exposed roots, it will cause too much pain to use peroxide-based bleaching for a cleaning procedure. Thus, you could end up not only with stained teeth but may also lose them.
This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
However, there are many other ways to minimize the discoloration of your teeth.
You can stop smoking, as well as limit your intake of drinks that will stain your teeth like, red wine, cola, coffee and black tea. It can also be good to avoid certain foods such as blueberries, curry, and beetroot.
Nonetheless, there is other food that can brighten those yellowing teeth, which means that you will actually eat your way into having whiter teeth. Here are some of the foods that you can add to your shopping list with teeth whitening properties.
Certain foods have teeth whitening properties
There are some foods you can eat that will reduce staining of your teeth and keep them whiter for longer. They have certain properties that disturb your enamel pellicles, plus those stains that are entrenched within your teeth.
You can achieve this by following these food categories.
Acidic foods
Your citrus fruits contain citric acids, as well as calcium properties which will improve stain elimination and can be very effective. Although, fruit such as Strawberries that contain some malic acid can ease or reduce the rate to a minimum of staining.
Abrasive foods
Very abrasive/fibrous foods can assist in removing the pellicle and stains through extensive abrasion. Specific things such as peel fibers or Rooty fibrous food can fit the bill.
Foods that contain proteolytic enzymes
These can include Pineapples that contain Bromelain, Ginger Root that contains Zingibain, and Papaya that contain Papain.
About the different fruits and vegetables
Pineapple
Pineapples are quite high in fruit acids and an enamel-eroding fructose. Additionally, it also contains some powerful enzymes that are called Bromelain. It also assists in removing superficial stains, as well as reducing plaque build-up.
So, while you enjoy your teeth whitening benefits through eating pineapples, you are minimizing your risk for cavities. Yet, you need to rinse your mouth afterward with a mouthwash that is alcohol-free.
Broccoli
You need to eat plenty of fiber to reduce the inflammation inside your mouth, as well as your body. That’s where the high fiber content in broccoli comes in. If you eat raw crispy broccoli it can help to polish and clean your teeth. Furthermore, broccoli also contains iron that is an added benefit to protect your teeth from enamel-degrading acids which are produced by bacteria. Broccoli can also prevent cavities and stains.
Strawberries
Strawberries which are your favorite summer fruit, bursts with malic acids that are an ordinary enamel-whitener. In addition, it also stimulates your saliva production. Saliva acts the same as a mouthwash, thus, can clean your teeth and keep them bacteria free. Plus, it can also act against staining foods and drinks which might linger inside your mouth, therefore, the more you produce saliva, the whiter you smile will be.
Celery
Carrots and celery are a fibrous, crunchy vegetable called detergent food. This is due to the fact that they whiten and cleanse your teeth while you chew. Their high content of fiber is only slightly abrasive. Thus, it will scrub away at your teeth while you eat to help remove stains on the surface. It can also advance your saliva production that will offer you teeth whitening benefits.
Raisins
If you think that raisins are harmful to your teeth with their sweet stickiness, you are so wrong, they are actually protecting your teeth. Your bran cereal containing raisins can help to clean your mouth better and faster than those that don’t have raisins in.
By chewing on raisins it will stimulate more saliva, preventing cavities, plaque and stains to develop. It will neutralize that acidic environment that is created through bacteria and other foods within your mouth.
Apples
Apples also contain very high levels malic acids to cleverly whiten your teeth, plus, with their fibrous crunchiness, they can help to remove stains on the surface of your teeth. You should minimize sweet apples if you worry about getting tooth decay. Rather have Granny Smith apples as they contain less sugar that can be damaging.
Cheese
Cheese can help to keep teeth very strong through minerals like phosphorus and calcium, as well as protein to protect the enamel of your teeth. Lactic acids you find in cheese will protect your teeth against decay, and your hard cheeses can help to clean teeth through stimulating extra saliva.
Papaya
Papaya contains an enzyme that is called papain, it’s the same as bromelain which helps to remove stains on the surface of your teeth. You should use green papaya, which is delicious if you shred it into a salad. The green unripe papaya contains more concentrated papain and contains fewer enamel-eroding sugars as what a ripe sweet papaya contains.
Water
Although water is not a fruit or vegetable, it is very important. You need to drink water right through the day to promote the production of saliva, which will in turn help to keep your teeth white. You should also sip water while you eat and after the meal, this can help to rinse away any loose plaque and debris.
Regular dental visits will give you the upper hand in fighting plaque and keeping your smile white.