When I smile, I want to feel like the person William Alger was describing when he said that, “After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution, and the soul’s indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer.”
Who doesn’t take their smile seriously? I know I do! This is why teeth whitening is the most requested cosmetic dental treatment among patients worldwide. Teeth stained by , , , or even oral bacteria aren’t just unattractive. They can lead to serious issues like tooth decay and . While many think of the practice of tooth whitening as something modern, people have actually tried one remedy or another to lift tooth stains since back in Ancient Roman times!
Is Fruit a Natural Teeth Whitening Remedy?
One natural remedy for teeth whitening is through the use of eating fruit. Growing up on a farm, summer and fall months provided a bountiful harvest of fresh fruit. It’s not just healthy for your teeth, but fruit also makes a great low-calorie snack. Eating raw fruit encourages chewing, which allows the food to gently scrub stains from the teeth and massage the inside of the mouth which promotes healthy gums and tongue. Chewing increases the production of saliva. Saliva kills oral bacteria – like the ones that cause simple chronic halitosis, which we know as bad breath.
When using fruits as a natural tooth whitener, it’s best to look for ones that contain malic acid. Malic acid is an organic compound found in most fruits, including green apples, grapes, sour cherries, strawberries, and . Any fruit that contains a significant level of malic acid can be used to make a fruit paste that, when left on the teeth for a few minutes twice a week, can help reduce or even remove stains on tooth enamel and create a brighter smile.
Here are three of my favorites:
An Apple a Day Keeps the Dentist Away
An apple away won’t only keep the doctor away, but perhaps also the dentist too. Eating apples is one of the most common ways that people use fruit to fight tooth stains and brighten their teeth. The abrasive quality in raw, uncooked apples is one of the most excellent natural tooth whitening fruits. The act of biting into this crunchy fruit causes it to gently rub away at stains on tooth enamel without damaging the teeth. It also promotes saliva production.
How Can Brighten Your Smile
The strawberry is another fruit that is commonly used for the purpose of teeth whitening. I suggest grinding them into mush and then mixing them with baking soda to create a type of fruit paste. Just apply to the surface of your teeth – front and back – and give it a few minutes. The strawberries’ malic acid and the baking soda work together to brighten and whiten your teeth.
Because strawberries are an acidic food, people using this method should rinse teeth by brushing with plain, warm water, or warm water and their regular toothpaste afterwards, and then floss to clean any residual fruit paste from between their teeth. And please, do not try this if you are allergic to the berries. Even though you are not eating them it still could cause an oral reaction.
3 Fruits to a Bigger and Brighter Smile
Some citrus products also work as teeth whitening agents. If I am out of fresh strawberries, I like to use fresh-squeezed lime juice mixed with baking soda to make another kind of natural, fruit-based toothpaste. Just apply with the same instructions as the strawberry paste, and then rinse away after a few minutes.
Many resources suggest lemon juice as a valid way to clean teeth, but the acid in this fruit is so strong that it could actually eat away at tooth enamel. However, it is safe to use the peel from all citrus fruits! Just rub the inside, pulpy layer against enamel which gently lifts stains from the surface of your teeth.
Frozen Grapes?
If you like frozen treats, especially in the summertime, you might enjoy my all-time favorite tooth whitening snack – chewing on frozen grapes. Just soak some grapes in cold water for several hours, then drain well and stick them in the freezer until fully frozen. I usually line a freezer-safe bowl with paper towels and then fill it with the grapes I plan to freeze. Because it takes longer to eat a frozen grape than one that is just refrigerated or at room temperature, people tend to eat less of them at a time which means your teeth get a healthy dose of malic acid using less grapes that are at room-temperature.
Another bit of advice from my dentist is to be sure and drink plenty of water throughout the day. We aren’t just required to drink water as part of a healthy diet! Drinking water helps rinse away food that hides between teeth or somewhere else in the mouth after meals for times your toothbrush (or a piece of fresh fruit) is not available.
Using fruit as a method to clean teeth more than two or three times per week can begin to eat away at the enamel, so be sure to use proper brushing and flossing techniques afterward. Regardless of how well these remedies work, the best way to ensureis to visit a dentist. Your dentist can present the best options for brightening your smile as well as treat any other dental problems.
About the Author
Stay at home mother of three, Tracy Martin is always on the lookout for ways to keep her family healthy. She has been well-versed on kid’s dentistry and the importance of natural teeth whitening with the help of aTracy loves internet shopping, reading, and traditional family dinners.
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