We've
all been told to avoid red wine, dark berries, and black coffee in our quests
for pearly whites, but what about foods that actually brighten your smile? Try
these natural solutions for a brilliant beam. | By Julia Marino
Strawberries
They may be bright red, but malic acid, a chief component of this summery
fruit, acts as a natural astringent to remove surface tooth discoloration, says
Dr. Irwin Smigel, president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics.
Fresh, juicy strawberries taste great in any meal—salads, desserts, cereal—and
are widely available at farmers markets this time of year, so getting your
daily dose is both simple and delicious.
Apples
The loud crunch you hear when you bite
into this hard fruit may be annoying, but it's also good for your choppers.
Apples' crispiness strengthens gums, and their high water content increases
saliva production, dispersing and neutralizing colonies of bacteria that lead
to bad breath and plaque, says Smigel.
Water
Drink lots of water to keep your mouth hydrated and
your smile bright, advises Smigel, who recommends sipping and swishing between
glasses of wine and when eating dark, pigmented foods to prevent staining.
However, while water reduces the acidity in your mouth and the resulting damage
to your enamel, Dr. Smigel warns against imbibing too much sparkling water,
which has greater potential to erode enamel and harm teeth.
Above
article by: Julia Marino
Your oral health routine should always
include brushing your tongue with your toothbrush or using a tongue scraper,
which you can find in the dental products aisle at the drugstore. That’s
important because foods can get stuck in the grooves of your tongue, causing
bacteria to grow. Other oral health problems that can develop if you don't clean your tongue are a bad taste
in your mouth, staining on your tongue, and bad breath, Abayon says.
