For a lot of people, their beauty routine includes teeth whitening. But instead of going to a dentist for an expensive procedure or using whitening strips that take away tooth enamel, there are cheaper and healthier solutions for a pearly white smile. From snacking on raw nuts and seeds to eating malic acid-rich strawberries and watermelon, there’s more than one home remedy to help whiten your teeth.
Swap Soda For Hard Cheese (Yes, You Read That Right)
While sodas tend to weaken tooth enamel, cheese has the opposite effect! According to Listerine, “[cheeses] contain lactic acid and the enamel-fortifying mineral calcium, which strengthen teeth while also whitening them.” “Chewing on cheese also prompts production of saliva, which washes away staining food particles.” You heard the company! If you want some help whitening your smile, it’s time to up your charcuterie board game by adding even more hard cheeses to the platter.
Shiitake Mushrooms Contain Bacteria-Killing Sugar
Sugar isn’t great for oral health or teeth whitening, as it allows bacteria to grow like a fungus. Shiitake mushrooms are a certain type of fungus containing a particular type of anti-bacteria sugar, lentinan. While most sugar promotes bacterial growth, lentinan has the opposite effect.
It’s actually quite difficult for bacteria to grow anywhere lentinan touches. As a result, shiitake mushrooms promote oral health and a whiter smile by preventing plaque-building bacteria!
Water, Water, And Some More Water
In this case, the phrase “too good to be true” is the wholehearted truth. Drinking water greatly helps improve oral hygiene, including whitening teeth. According to The University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry, “Water is a great mouth cleaner because it washes away leftover food and residue that cavity-causing bacteria love to eat.” “It also dilutes the acids produced by the bacteria in your mouth.” And less oral bacteria means a whiter smile!
Oil Pulling With Coconut Oil
Oil pulling is a simple, safe, and effective way to help whiten teeth. To start, grab some coconut oil or oil of your choosing, and pour about a tablespoon in your mouth. Then, swish the oil around for 15-20 minutes.
This “procedure” has many benefits, including a reduction in cavities, healthier gums, better breath, a reduction in gum sensitivity, and a reduction in plaque and bacteria that will help bring teeth back to their natural color, aka white.
Strawberries Have Malic Acid That Aids In Bleaching
It’s always nice when tasty foods aid in a beauty routine. In this case, juicy strawberries help whiten teeth! The delicious fruit contains malic acid, a compound found in various commercial products, and is said to aid in bleaching teeth. Of course, eating a bushel of strawberries might not be the most effective or even the quickest way to brighten a smile, but it might be one of the yummier options!
Apple Cider Vinegar And Some Baking Soda
While apples are said to have properties that will help whiten teeth, a better strategy is ditching the fruit and reaching for a bottle of apple cider vinegar. A natural bleach and world-class cleanser, apple cider vinegar helps remove bacteria from the mouth, bringing teeth back to their more natural white coloring. For an even better clean, though, think about adding a bit of baking soda into the mix.
The coarse agent will aid in scrubbing away any stains, whether from coffee or wine!
Orange Peels Are Natural Teeth Whiteners
After eating an orange, don’t be so quick to throw away the peel. Orange peels actually contain a few various properties that help aid in oral health and teeth whitening. According to Tieken Smiles Dentistry, “In the case of orange peels to help whiten teeth, it is the vitamin C, pectin, limonene, gluconate, and soluble fiber found in the white part of the orange peel that helps whiten the teeth.
These compounds can act as natural teeth whiteners.”
Milk Reduces The Chance Of Staining
High in calcium and lactic acid, milk has been proven to be a great natural teeth whitening agent. Not only that, but a protein in milk called casein helps reduce the chance of staining. According to a tea vs.
milk staining experiment conducted by Dr. Craig Cardon from Northfield Family Dentistry, “milk significantly reduced tea’s ability to darken teeth and was even more effective at protecting the color of teeth than whitening toothpaste.”
Cauliflower Helps Produce Extra Saliva
The good news for those health enthusiasts out there: cauliflower is healthy, nutritious, and a natural way to buff away stubborn tooth stains. The vegetable’s “crunch factor” helps remove surface stains from the teeth while producing extra saliva to help combat bad bacteria and wash away plaque. According to medical nutritionist Lisa Cohn, “[cauliflower] makes your mouth produce more saliva, which washes away debris and keeps bacteria and plaque down.”
Papayas Contain A Helpful Enzyme
Papaya is another fruit that can help promote oral health and teeth whitening. This particular fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme called papain, a compound that is able to break down the bad proteins staining the surface of teeth. According to the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry, “the enzyme [papain] helps to remove surface stains on people’s teeth when compared to people who did not come into contact with the enzymes.”