Strawberries are a classic treat. These little berries taste of summer and sunshine, and whether you eat them as a sweet dessert or a refreshing snack, one thing is certain: They pack a powerful nutritional punch for your smile. Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C, which is essential for gum health. The gums support the teeth but can be damaged by oral bacteria. The vitamin C that strawberries contain allow gum tissue to be more resilient against bacteria. When enjoying strawberries, skip the sugar, which feeds oral bacteria. We like to eat them straight or dip them in just a bit of dark chocolate for a powerful boost of antioxidants with a delectably sinful twist.
Strawberry Juice for Cleaner Teeth
These berries are are not just packed full of tooth-friendly nutrients but are also fibrous and juicy, a combination that helps clean teeth by scrubbing plaque from teeth and stimulating saliva flow. In the same way that a water flosser flushes debris from between teeth, so does the saliva help rinse those after-meal crumbs off your teeth. This can be handy in a pinch, but it will never replace your water pik. Unlike saliva, water piks use a much more powerful jet of water to make them as much as 93 percent more effective than even dental floss. Still, strawberries can be an easy, refreshing after-lunch treat to keep clean on the go and refresh your breath until you can get to a toothbrush. We like to keep some on hand to snack on when we can’t brush right away.
Strawberries for Whiter Teeth
Strawberries can also whiten your teeth. Ripe strawberries contain malic acid, a special enzyme that can really get into the pores of your teeth without damaging them the way some whiteners can. For the best results, crush or purée a single strawberry and apply it to your teeth with a toothbrush. Let the strawberry sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off and then brushing with your normal fluoride toothpaste. The malic acid will break up the stain-causing particles while the fluoride toothpaste will help strengthen the enamel on your teeth. While we may never replace our regular whitening treatments with strawberries, they can be handy for performing touch-ups when we aren’t yet due for a bleaching but still have some little bothersome spots.
Getting Teeth Even Whiter
Unfortunately, they cannot lighten your teeth significantly. For this, you need a more powerful whitener. Some of the best teeth whitening kits combine powerful peroxide ingredients with light activation for speed and effectiveness. These kits are easy to use at home but still offer results on par with professional whitening. What’s not to love about that? Whitening your teeth with one of these kits can brighten your smile up to 10 shades. Those are the kind of results that can get you noticed, and you will find yourself looking for reasons to smile. When your smile looks good, you will start to feel good, and that translates into better self-confidence. That self-confidence shines through in everything you do, and others will start to react differently towards you. A better smile can set off a chain-reaction of positivity in your life.
Keeping Your Teeth Their Whitest White
Once you get your teeth the right shade of white, we recommend keeping them that way with a combination of healthy dietary habits and good dental hygiene. Strawberries can definitely play a role in this. Not only will they not stain your teeth like some other berries, like cherries or blueberries, but they can even help keep stains at bay and clean teeth. Next, we suggest you review your diet to find those foods and drinks that are likely causing problems. This could mean limiting how much coffee or tea you are drinking. Other big offenders include wine, soft drinks, energy drinks and juice. Foods can also stain teeth. Anything that can stain cloth may also leave its mark on your teeth, and that includes curries, tomato sauce, artificially dyed foods and beets. You don’t have to eliminate all these foods from your diet, but you may have to limit them and follow them with a good rinse with water to flush the staining substances out of your mouth.
Keeping Teeth Clean and Healthy
Good dental hygiene starts with a good toothbrush. We highly recommend electric toothbrushes, which tend to be more effective and easier to use than manual toothbrushes. We have reviewed a variety of models from top-of-the-line to budget-friendly toothbrushes and can help you find the best one for you, but the bottom line is the best toothbrush is the one you will use regularly and for the recommended two minutes at a time at least twice a day. Remember to use a fluoride-based toothpaste in a flavour you like. The toothpaste fights cavity-causing bacteria and can freshen your breath.
Finishing With a Rinse
We also recommend using a mouthwash. While a mouthwash cannot replace brushing any more than a strawberry can, it can supplement it. Mouthwashes can reach parts of your mouth a toothbrush cannot, and it can help fight even more oral bacteria. Different mouthwashes work in different ways, and some, like Listerine, combat oral bacteria, while others, like Colgate FluoriGard, use fluoride to strengthen teeth. We have put together a handy guide to help you find the best mouthwash for your needs.
When added to an otherwise tooth-friendly lifestyle, strawberries can play a sweet role in keeping your smile looking and feeling its best. Whirl a few into your morning smoothie, or slice some into your afternoon fruit salad for a refreshing treat that is as good for your smile as it is for your taste buds.
