02/28/2014
(NaturalNews) Dental hygiene is an important part of keeping healthy, but maintaining a white smile is also a great way to show that you take pride in your appearance and wish to keep your body in as good of shape as possible. Because dental problems are correlated with other health risks, keeping your smile as bright and clean as you can is an important step in keeping your entire body healthy. Today's market offers a great deal of dental hygiene products, but many of them are loaded with harmful chemicals. To keep your teeth naturally white, here are five ways to safely brighten your smile.
1. Eat Crunchy Foods. Many fruits and vegetables, such as apples, carrots, celery, and pears, can naturally clean and whiten teeth due to their acidic nature. The crunchier the food, the more abrasive it is and the cleaner it will get your teeth. If you adhere to a natural diet, you most likely already consume a fair number of fruits and vegetables, but keep in mind that you need to eat them in their whole form in order to benefit from whiter teeth. For example, bite into your next apple instead of cutting it up or running it through the juicer.
2. Up the (Grass-Fed, Organic, Raw) Dairy. Recent scientific evidence indicates that cheese, milk, and yogurt contain minerals that strengthen teeth and improve their appearance. Among these minerals are calcium and phosphorus, which enhance teeth's enamel. With stronger enamel, your teeth will be able to better withstand the other natural remedies on this list.
3. Eat More Strawberries. Strawberries contain malic acid, which removes discolorations on the surface of the teeth. Additionally, the berries' texture helps buff the enamel, creating a brighter, smoother appearance. To heighten the effects of strawberries as a natural teeth whitener, combine a crushed berry with one half of a teaspoon of baking soda. Once the mixture is complete, apply and leave on teeth for five minutes. Only do this once in a while, to keep the enamel of the teeth from breaking down.
4. Use Baking Soda. The literature on baking soda is diverse, as some professionals say to use it often and others say not to use it at all, but studies show that limited use of baking soda can enhance the whiteness of teeth. Periodically, utilize a baking soda and hydrogen peroxide or salt mixture to clean and whiten teeth. Lemons or strawberries may also be incorporated with baking soda for a more natural solution.
5. Drink with a Straw. Even if you follow a natural diet, the beverages that you drink have the tendency to stain teeth. To avoid as many stains as possible, use a straw to draw beverages into your mouth, instead of having them slide over your teeth. The less contact your teeth have with damaging substances, the whiter they will be.
