You’ve probably had doctors or dentists recommend changes to your diet for various reasons: high blood pressure, weight loss, too much sugar, too much caffeine, etc. What many patients haven’t heard is how certain common foods help whiten their teeth. At Hill Avenue Dental of Superior, WI, our dentists recommend taking a look at your diet before you consider our outstanding teeth whitening services. To find out more, call your Superior dentist to schedule an appointment today.
Get Plenty of H2O
This one may seem obvious, but drinking water is one of the best ways to whiten and strengthen teeth. Water has no staining coloring or acid, and it effectively washes away plaque and food particles. For patients who enjoy drinking coffee, tea, wine, and other staining beverages, following each with a glass of water can help protect teeth and keep your body hydrated.
Baking Soda and Abrasives for Teeth Whitening Superior Trusts
You may have seen tooth pastes that contain baking soda. The benefits of baking soda stem from its ability to gently remove surface level plaque, stains, and food particles. Consider brushing once a week with baking soda straight for the box, but limit your use as the abrasiveness can damage enamel overtime. Other foods that offer mild abrasion without damaging enamel include nuts, onions, and broccoli.
Dairy Products – Lactic Acid
Lactic acid present in dairy products helps to fortify teeth against decay-causing plaque. Hard cheeses, which are high in protein, deliver lactic acid, and also work as an abrasive to remove food particles, are a great option.
Foods Containing Malic Acid
Malic acid is one of the best kept secrets in teeth whitening. Malic acid aids in digestion and nutrient absorption. This helps saliva neutralize damaging acids, and allows teeth to absorb more fortifying nutrients from foods. Malic acid is present in all fruits and some vegetables. Green apples are extremely rich in malic acid. That means an apple a day may just keep the dentist away. One fun at-home whitening trick is mashing strawberries (high in malic acid) and applying to teeth for about ten minutes. Then, rinse, floss, and brush teeth. Over a period of time, this natural teeth whitener can be as effective at removing stains as most over the counter whitening agents.
Saliva Producers – Drooling Isn’t Such a Bad Thing
You may have heard that citrus foods are bad for your teeth because they are highly acidic. However, citric acid causes the mouth to produce excess saliva which is the body’s natural protection from damaging bacteria, and washes away staining food particles. Some foods that are great saliva producers include oranges, pineapples, grapes, celery, and apples.
Call the Superior Dentist to Find Out More
Help keep your teeth pearly white by making a few, simple dietary changes that can improve your overall health and wellbeing. Drinking more water keeps skin looking younger and fuller and prevents dehydration. Adding lactic, malic, and citric acid to the diet aids in breaking down foods into proper nutrients which is great for patients who frequently experience nutrient deficiency or digestive issues. Call your Superior, WI dentist, Hill Avenue Dental, to find out more today.