For a Sparkling Smile, Chew on This

I was looking at old family photos the other day, when I realized that my teeth just aren’t as white as they used to be. I guess they’ve been stained over the years by my morning coffee habit—and my occasional glass of red wine, too. To brighten them up, I’d rather not spend an arm and a leg at the dentist. If you’ve got the same problem, here’s a handful of DIY tricks to try instead:

·        Crunch into an apple. The biting and chewing action will gently and safely polish away tooth stains.

·        Chew on carrot sticks. They’ll sand away discoloration, and as a bonus, carrots are one of nature’s best breath sweeteners!

·        Munch on celery. It can gently abrade away tooth tarnish. And the gentle burst of water that you get with each bite helps flush food particles and odor-causing bacteria from your mouth.

·        Swish with strawberries. Fresh strawberry juice is said to whiten teeth over time. Paint the juice on your teeth and leave it there for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water and a pinch of baking soda.

·        Peel a fresh lemon or orange and rub the rind over your teeth. Or brush the juice on your teeth.

These tips should help give the discoloration the brush-off—and your pearly whites will be pearly and white once again!