Introduction: Throughout history, China has had different standards of beauty for women in different eras. Sometimes plumpness was considered beautiful, and sometimes thinness. But regardless of people's preference between slender and full figures, "rosy lips and white teeth" and "bright eyes and pearly whites" have always been constant criteria for judging beauty. Moreover, having a set of clean, white, and bright teeth can make a person more confident. Below are ten foods introduced to help you whiten your teeth and eat your way to beauty.
1. Strawberries
Strawberries and teeth might seem unrelated, but they are actually a natural fruit for whitening teeth. A recent report in the American magazine "Health" stated that the malic acid in strawberries can act as an astringent to remove stains from the tooth surface. When mixed with baking powder, it becomes a natural teeth cleaner that can remove stains left by coffee, red wine, and cola. While it cannot replace the bleaching therapy at a dental clinic, it can "quickly and cheaply brighten your smile." At the same time, strawberries are highly nutritious and rich in vitamin C, which can have an inhibitory effect on people with excessive "liver fire." Additionally, it's best to eat strawberries after a meal because they contain a large amount of pectin and fiber, which can promote gastrointestinal motility, aid digestion, improve constipation, and prevent hemorrhoids and colon cancer.
Coconut Strawberry Soft Biscuits
2. Watermelon
Watermelon is known as the "king of midsummer." It is refreshing, thirst-quenching, sweet, and juicy, making it a great fruit for the summer. Besides being free of fat and cholesterol, watermelon contains large amounts of glucose, malic acid, fructose, protein amino acids, lycopene, and rich vitamin C, making it a highly nutritious, pure, and safe food. The citrulline and arginine components in the watermelon pulp can increase urea formation in the liver of mice, leading to a diuretic effect. It has the effects of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, relieving vexation and thirst, promoting urination, and detoxifying alcohol. It is used to treat all kinds of heat syndromes, summer heat vexation and thirst, difficult urination, sore throat, oral inflammation, and drunkenness. Two glasses of watermelon juice a day can supplement 25% of the daily vitamin C requirement. Vitamin C is crucial for teeth and gum health. It helps with iron absorption and has antioxidant effects, preventing the aging of teeth caused by oxidation by "free radical" molecules. Moreover, vitamin C is also a key element in whitening.
Freshly squeezed watermelon juice
3. Oranges
Oranges are rich in a variety of nutrients needed by the human body and have effects such as relaxing the bowels, regulating qi, resolving phlegm, aiding digestion, stimulating the appetite, stopping vomiting, relieving pain, and stopping coughs. They can be used to treat symptoms like chest tightness, abdominal bloating, vomiting, constipation, difficult urination, hemorrhoid bleeding, and detoxification from alcohol, fish, and crab poison. Among all fruits, citrus fruits contain the highest amount of antioxidants, including over 170 phytochemicals, more than 60 flavonoids, and 17 types of carotenoids. Flavonoids have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, blood vessel-strengthening, and anti-coagulation effects, while carotenoids have strong antioxidant effects. Oranges also provide a considerable amount of carotene and minerals such as potassium, calcium, and iron. The vitamin C in oranges also promotes dental and gum health, and its fiber can help remove dental plaque.
Steamed Egg with Orange
4. Apples
Apples contain a relatively high amount of potassium, which can combine with excess sodium salts in the body and excrete them. When a person consumes too much sodium, eating some apples helps balance the body's electrolytes. Elements like phosphorus and iron in apples are easily absorbed by the intestinal wall, nourishing the blood, calming the mind, and promoting sleep. The scent of apples is a good remedy for depression and feelings of suppression. Experts have found through multiple experiments that among various scents, the scent of apples has the greatest psychological impact on people, significantly alleviating feelings of psychological suppression. Chewing apples can stimulate the secretion of saliva in the mouth, cleaning and strengthening teeth, and can also reduce the body's absorption of sugar. Furthermore, apples are rich in fiber, and fiber-rich fruits require more chewing time. During this process, you secrete a large amount of saliva, which is the best protector of teeth. It prevents cavities and prevents bacteria from adhering to teeth, making it easier to keep teeth clean for a long time and can even repair early cavities. Therefore, fiber-rich fruits like apples have a good effect on protecting teeth and whitening them. However, you should brush your teeth or rinse your mouth immediately after eating an apple!
Sweet Potato and Apple Milk Paste
5. Cheese
Cheese is a dairy product made by concentrating and fermenting milk. It basically removes most of the water from milk, retaining its highly nutritious essence, and is hailed as the "gold" of dairy products. As is well known, insufficient calcium intake can weaken bones, but it can also deplete dental health. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement calcium from various natural foods every day. Cheese is not only a good source of calcium, but it also has other protective effects on teeth. British research indicates that the calcium and phosphates in cheese can balance the pH in the mouth, preventing the oral environment from becoming acidic, which is favorable for bacterial activity and causes cavities. Moreover, regular consumption of cheese can increase calcium on the tooth surface, helping to strengthen and rebuild enamel (since calcium is the main component of enamel), making teeth stronger.
Cheese Bread