Good oral hygiene starts with brushing often, flossing daily and visiting your Winnipeg dentist regularly. At Kildonan Crossing Dental Centre, we have many whitening methods available to keep your teeth their whitest. However, it is easy to overlook the role that our diet plays in brightening our pearly whites.
Here are five foods to help whiten your smile (and you probably have them on your grocery list already!):
- Apples and Carrots: Snacking on crunchy fruits and vegetables such as apples and carrots boost the production of saliva and acts as a natural toothbrush, which assists in washing away food particles and harmful bacteria and lessens staining on your teeth.
- Pineapple: Pineapple naturally contains an enzyme called bromelain, which is also found in whitening toothpaste. This enzyme makes pineapple not only a delicious tropical fruit but also a teeth whitening superstar.
- Broccoli and Cauliflower: High fibre foods such as raw broccoli and cauliflower are naturally coarse and provide much-needed abrasives that help keep our teeth clean (another natural toothbrush!). Eating these raw and healthy vegetables promote saliva production in our mouths, which helps to wash away plaque.
- Strawberries: Strawberries and other brightly coloured fruits contain malic acid, an enzyme that acts as a natural astringent, which helps reduce food stains and ultimately whiten teeth.
- Cheese, milk and yogurt: Not only are they high in teeth-strengthening calcium, but dairy foods such as cheese, milk and yogurt, also contain lactic acid. This enzyme helps safeguard our tooth enamel against erosion while providing teeth-whitening properties and preventing tooth decay.
It’s always important to continue brushing and flossing regularly - these foods are no substitute for proper dental hygiene habits. Getting any bits of food, seeds and particles cleaned out from between your teeth and gums, and visiting your dental hygienist regularly is the best way to keep your teeth bright.
Need a bit more whitening boost? Have a big event coming up where you want to show off your pearly whites? We’re here to help you achieve your teeth whitening goals. Book an appointment with Kildonan Crossing Dental Centre today to see which whitening treatment is best for you and your teeth. We are a full-service Transcona dental clinic located at the northwest corner of Lagimodiere Boulevard and Regent Avenue in Winnipeg.