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Health & Fitness

Do Eat Chocolate, but Avoid Lemon and Vinegar for Whiter Teeth

Great advice to brighten that smile of yours this new year!

You want movie star white teeth. Who doesn't? They shine for the camera, they bring youth to your appearance and they make people notice. Happily, there are several ways to obtain those pearly whites without having to spend a fortune on whitening toothpastes, at-home trays and dental procedures. This is often a win/win as those treatments can often cause teeth sensitivity and pain. A beautiful smile is lovely, but health is always the dentist's number one concern. The following is a list of things to do or not to do guarantee a bright smile for life.

First an apple a day truly does keep the dentist away. Crunchy fruits like apples act as abrasives on the teeth as they are harder to bite and chew. This action lifts stains from the teeth giving them a whiter appearance.  There are several items to nosh for this affect with apples, celery and carrots taking the top honors.

Flossing your teeth is something you should do if you want to keep them, many dentists joke, but it also goes a long way to giving you a glowing smile. By removing the stains from between the teeth you are a step closer to that movie star look.

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Milk, yogurt and cheese are also beneficial to your teeth. Some suggest that eating a piece of cheese after each meal may prevent tooth decay by promoting the regrowth of enamel, and while we're talking about chewing something for tooth health, it may astound you to know that certain types of gum- particularly sugar-free with xylitol-  can also promote clean teeth. So, ignore what you've heard all along and chew the gum, just make sure it's the sugar-free variety. The best news in the what to eat for whiter teeth category is chocolate covered strawberries. There is some evidence that strawberries may create whiter teeth and chocolate may act as an antibacterial due to the husk of the cocoa bean. How cool is that?

Now for what not to do. Despite advice from your grandparents to the contrary, baking soda on teeth is a bad idea. Yes, it's abrasive, but it can be rough to the point of removing enamel – never a good thing. It is also suggested that you avoid vinegar, cider and lemon. A popular home remedy may suggest using these ingredients as a whitener, but it is not recommended by dentists, again due to the possibility of enamel removal from the acidity.

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There are many ways, natural and man-made; to have that movie star white smile, but remember regular consultations with your dentist are recommended for both the health of your teeth and a fabulous smile.

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