Having a sparkling, white smile makes a person look and feel good. Unfortunately, many popular foods and drinks, like coffee, tea and cola, stain the teeth. People often turn to tooth whitening as a way of regaining a bright, white smile. Tooth whitening is typically done using either a mildly abrasive whitening toothpaste or a peroxide bleaching agent. People who wish to avoid bleaching agents can turn to certain foods to help whiten their teeth.
Strawberries
Crushed up strawberries can help whiten teeth. The crushed strawberries are usually combined with baking soda to make a soft paste, then applied to teeth for a few minutes. It is thought that the acid content of the strawberries is responsible for this whitening. Because the acid and the sugar in strawberries can damage teeth, it is important to rinse the mouth and brush with a fluoride toothpaste after trying this approach.
Orange Peel
Orange peel, either rubbed directly onto teeth or made into a paste, can help whiten a person's smile. To rub the peel directly on teeth, the soft, white inside of the orange peel is used. To make a paste, the orange peel is often combined with bay leaves and then applied to the teeth for a few minutes before being rinsed off. The citric acid of the orange can cause erosion of the tooth enamel, so it is important to rinse and brush after using orange on the teeth.
Lemons
Lemon peel and lemon juice can both be used to whiten teeth. Lemon peel can be rubbed on the teeth in the same way as orange peel. Lemon juice can be combined with salt or baking soda to make a paste, which is then rubbed on teeth for a few minutes. Once again, because lemon juice contains citric acid, which can corrode tooth enamel, always rinse and brush well after using lemon juice on teeth.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Swishing with apple cider vinegar once or twice a day can help to whiten teeth. Alternatively, the vinegar can be combined with baking soda to make a paste, which is applied to teeth for a few minutes. Unfortunately, vinegar contains acetic acid. Like the acids in strawberries, oranges and lemons, acetic acid can damage the teeth, so it is important to rinse and brush well after using vinegar.
