Your smile is the most memorable feature to a person after a first encounter, according to an American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry survey, with whiteness and colour of teeth to be one of the first things noticed.
Gaining a whiter and brighter smile isn't hard to achieve with City Dentist's bleaching treatment. However, there are a range of common foods that can also help improve the colour of your teeth.
1. Dairy products
New Zealand is the largest exporter of dairy products in the world, according to Dairy New Zealand. Not only is our milk, cheese and yoghurt extremely delicious, studies have found that these dairy products can actually improve your overall oral health.
Researchers from the Academy of General Dentistry found that eating cheese can help protect your teeth against cavities and fight off stains brought on by tea, coffee and red wine. Dairy products contain calcium and casein – two elements that not only strengthen teeth, but also help to protect pearly whites against acid erosion.
2. Strawberries
Although their ruby red colouring may stain your clothes, strawberries have been found to do the exact opposite for your teeth. That's right, this fruit is one of the most effective and natural tooth cleaners around. Strawberries contain malic acid which helps to remove discolouration on the surface of teeth.
Other than eating this fruit, experts also suggest mixing mashed strawberries with a little baking soda to achieve even better results. Leave this mixture on your teeth for a few minutes, then brush and floss thoroughly afterwards.
Although ruby red in colour, strawberries are one of the most effective and natural tooth cleaners around.
3. Apples
There are around 7,500 different varieties of apple grown around the world – that's a lot of crunching! These healthy snacks will not only help to keep the doctor away, apples' high water content also increases saliva production. This isn't as gross as you might think. In fact, this extra spit acts as the mouth's self-cleaning service, helping to wash away bacteria that can lead to discolouration.
While the above foods are not as effective as professional whitening treatments, they're still a fun and safe way to improve your smile at home.
If you're looking to make a difference to the whiteness of your smile, here at City Dentists, we offer one safe and incredibly effective treatment. To find out more about what we can do for you, give us a call or speak to your clinician during your next dental check up.