How to Whiten Teeth Naturally with Strawberries
~ Jodie Lea Cleave
Nothing says healthy, happy and beautiful better than a gorgeous, white-toothed smile. But if you’re a berry-muncher, tea-drinker or a kombucha drinker, you may sometimes suffer to get your pearly whites as bright as you like. As crazy as it sounds, strawberries make for a great tooth-whitening trick so if you have a few extras lying around, try out our all-natural tooth-whitening recipe with strawberries below.
Why You Shouldn’t Use Drug Store Dental Products
Most store bought toothpaste and mouthwash contains harmful chemicals that can actually strip the enamel from your teeth? And they totally disrupt the natural microbial flora in your mouth, which is essential for beautiful teeth and good oral health.
Both professional and at-home tooth whiteners are all the rage these days, but what are they actually doing to your teeth and gums? These chemical-laden treatments have been known to blister and inflame the gums, promote gum loss and be the cause of dry mouth and cavities!
But we have a much better and healthier alternative for you. Follow this super-simple natural tooth-whitening recipe so you can flash that beautiful smile of yours and keep your chompers healthy, happy and bright!
Benefits of Strawberries for Natural Beauty
Strawberries, like other deeply-colored berries, are chock full of antioxidants and a powerhouse for protecting your cells. The manganese within them even converts toxins within your skin cells into oxygen to reduce skin damage.
The combination of Vitamin C and ellagic acid found in strawberries is vital to the production of collagen which helps to improve the skin’s elasticity and resilience. Why do we need collagen? It’s what keeps your skin plump and youthful-looking! Unfortunately, we lose collagen as we age, so eating foods rich in Vitamin C may help in reversing damage.
There are so many amazing benefits to eating strawberries, but for naturally whitening teeth, it is strawberry’s malic acid we’re after, and the riper the strawberry, the more malic acid is present. The gentle, malic acid is a safe, natural tooth whitener that doesn’t harm the teeth or damage enamel. Beware unripe strawberries which may be higher in citric acid, which can damage enamel with its acidity.
Strawberries are high in water and fiber which help keep the digestive system in good working order, promoting glowing skin from the inside out! So go ahead and snack on a few, but tuck some aside to try out this all-natural tooth-whitening recipe below.
In a dentist-approved review of the most common “natural tooth-whitening tricks” strawberries actually came out number one!
Natural Strawberry Tooth Whitening Recipe
Strawberries mixed with aluminum-free baking soda will give you a dazzling smile with no harmful side effects. The Vitamin C in the strawberries combined with the baking soda produces malic acid which acts as an astringent to remove surface discoloration and loosen plaque.
Prep time: 5 mins
Treatment time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
- 2 strawberries, mashed or pureed
- baking soda
Directions:
- Make a paste of equal parts mashed or pureed strawberries and baking soda.
- Apply the mixture to teeth.
- If you have a mouthguard or tooth tray, it will help hold the mixture on your teeth.
- Leave on for 15 minutes — I like to do this when showering to save time.
- Repeat this process a couple of times a week to remove stubborn stains
- A great follow up is using our Healthy Smile Serum when flossing and brushing.
Jodie Lea Cleave is our Authentic Beauty Director, inspiring women to step away from conventional, chemical-drenched notions of beauty and remember that the most beautiful thing you can be, is YOU!
She’ll be sharing regular recipes, interviews and inspiration to support your adventures in simple, natural and empowering self-care. She can’t wait to see your gorgeous smile on the Facebook Page!