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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

Like many people who need to lose a few pounds, I try diet after diet in an attempt to find one that finally works for me. I learned the hard way that I need to make sure any diet will not harm my teeth, even if it does help me lose a few pounds. I learned this lesson when following a grapefruit diet. There are many versions of this, but the version I tried had me eat a grapefruit alone several times each day. It was supposed to suppress my appetite. I helped keep me from munching on unhealthy snacks, but the acid in the fruit took a toll on my tooth enamel and I quickly started getting lots of cavities. I created this blog to remind people that change up their diets often to make sure the foods they are eating are not harming their teeth.

6 Foods That Whiten Your Teeth

8 November 2015
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

Whether it is from drinking too much coffee or smoking, stained teeth can make you pretty self-conscious. You may even refuse to smile in public because you do not want people to see your teeth. The good news is that eating the right foods can have a positive effect on the appearance of your smile. Here are six foods that whiten your teeth:

Apples

If you start eating apples regularly, you will not have to worry about as many tooth stains. They contain malic acid, which is effective at increasing saliva production and cleaning stains off teeth. Try to eat at least one apple a day.

Cheese

To keep your teeth both beautiful and strong, add some cheese to your diet. The calcium in cheese will protect your teeth from erosion. If you eat a particularly hard cheese, like cheddar, it will also stimulate saliva flow in your mouth, washing stains off the surfaces of your teeth.

Strawberries

Strawberries are also packed with malic acid, so eating them can do wonders for the appearance of your teeth. To speed up the whitening effects, mash up one strawberry with a fork and apply it to the surfaces of your teeth in circular motions.

Oranges

Oranges are another food you should add to your diet. They are very tart, so they make your mouth produce more saliva, helping get rid of surface stains.

Carrots

Carrots are not just great for your eyesight; they can also help whiten your teeth. They have a very crunchy texture, so chewing on them can scrub the stains right off your teeth. If you do not want to eat a whole carrot, try adding some slices to your salad.

Sesame Seeds

If you have not added sesame seeds to your diet yet, it may be time to start. These tiny seeds have a coarse texture and are effective at scrubbing away discoloration from your teeth. These seeds are also packed with calcium, so your teeth will get stronger. One way you can incorporate sesame seeds in your diet is to add them on top of bread.

Whitening your teeth does not have to be a challenge. If you add these foods to your diet, you will likely see a positive change in your teeth. However, if your teeth still are not as white as you want them to be, talk to your dentist about a whitening treatment.

Contact a dental office like Trussville Dentistry for more information.