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Strawberries
Don’t let the red color fool you. Malic acid, a chief component of strawberries, acts as a natural astringent to remove surface tooth discoloration, says Dr. Irwin Smigel, president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics. No matter how you eat ’em — in salads, desserts, cereal — you’ll be whitening your smile in the process. You can even mash one up and put it on your toothbrush.
Seeds and Nuts
The abrasive texture of sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, and cashews works to remove surface stains — kind of like an exfoliator for your teeth.
Onions
They won’t work wonders for your breath, but sulfur compounds in onions keep plaque from forming on your teeth (plus, you’re more likely to brush your teeth after eating them). The only catch? The anti-plaque powers only work when you eat onions raw.
Apples
The loud crunch that you hear when you bite into an apple is actually helping to strengthen your gums, and the fruit’s high water content increases saliva production. Not the most attractive thing to think about, but that extra spit washes away bacteria that can lead to discoloration.
Baking soda
Switch up your morning routine and try brushing with baking soda, which acts like a bleaching agent on teeth. The “soda” — which is actually a form of salt — in this pantry staple scrubs off plaque and surface stains.
Celery and carrots
The same high water content that makes these veggies great for your waistline and your health also whitens your teeth by washing away food debris and strengthening gums.
Broccoli
High-fiber, coarse foods act as scrubbing agents for teeth. Toss them on your salad for a quick, natural mid-day brush.
Cheese
Hard cheese, like the little blocks you get on those delicious appetizer trays, is full of calcium, which strengthens teeth and gums. Casein, a milk protein found in cheese, has been shown to reduce the loss of minerals from tooth enamel.
Oranges
The flesh of this sweet, delicious fruit helps neutralize the acid in your mouth that causes decay.
Water
H2O keeps you hydrated and smiling bright. Sip and swish between glasses of wine and when eating dark, pigmented foods to prevent staining. Just be sure to drink still over sparkling: Bubbles can erode enamel and harm teeth.
Pears
The flesh of this sweet, delicious fruit helps neutralize the acid in your mouth that causes decay.
Milk and yogurt
Dairy products like yogurt and milk contain lactic acid and the enamel-fortifying mineral calcium, which not only whiten teeth, but strengthen them, too.