Tag Archive for: natural teeth whitening

Can putting milk in your tea help whiten teeth?

A recent study certainly thinks so!

All of those cups of tea you consume throughout your working day could prove to be a more effective teeth whitener compared to actual whitening products.

However, this is only true if you take milk with your brew, the dairy product has been found to have benefits for our dental hygiene. Sourced from a study published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene has discovered that the milk that we add to our tea can prevent staining on the teeth.

Leader of the study, Dr. Ava Chow, said, “Tea is the econd most consumed drink in the world, and the way it’s processed affects how teeth are stained. The more tea is processed or oxidised, the higher its staining properties are. But we’ve found that the addition of milk reduces the tea’s ability to stain teeth.

For the study, Dr. Chow used extracted human teeth, placing them into a controlled solution of black tea, and a solution of tea with milk. Following leaving the teeth in both solutions for 24 hours, her team took colour readings – this then indicated that caseinm a protein that is found in milks, and binds with the tannins in tea to prevent staining.

Chow commented on the results of the study: “The results we found showed that casein is the componenet of milk that is responsible for the reduction of tea-induced staining. The magnitude of the colour change observed in our experiments is comparable to the colour change seen by vital bleaching products and more effective than whitening toothpastes.

Have you any bizarre teeth whitening facts you’d like to share?

Teeth whitening foods

There has always been that advice to avoid black coffee, dark berries and red wine when striving for pearly whites.

Although, the question comes into play of which foods are natural teeth whiteners:

Strawberries

The chief component in strawberries is malic acid acting as a natural astrigent that will remove any tooth discolouration.

Seeds and nuts

Chewing nuts and seeds, that are actually slightly abrasive, will rubs off the plaque and stains off the surface of your teeth. Almonds are particularly good as they are full of healthy fats and protein.

Onions

As onions are colourless, they do not cause any surface stains on the teeth – also, after eating onions you will be more likely to brush your teeth that will be a surefire way of getting whiter teeth.

Apples

Biting into apples is quite beneficial for your teeth. The fruits’ crispiness is a form of strengthening gums, also the high water content increases the amount of saliva produced into your mouth, dispersing and neutralizing any colonies of bacteria that can lead to bad breath and plaque.

Celery and carrots

These high water vegetables are not only good for the production of saliva, but they are also great for your waistline.

Broccoli

By including small pieces of raw broccoli into your lunch, those florets will act as a sort of toothbrush that will scrub the surface of your teeth.

Oranges

The citrus acid in an orange can make your teeth whiter, however is can erode tooth enamel so it suggested to help yourself to an orange every once in a while.

Water

Although not a food, drinking between sipping glasses of wine and when eating pigmented foods will help prevent any staining, maintaining your teeth’s whiteness.

Milk and yoghurt

Both dairy products are teeth superfoods. As they both contain high calcium content that strengthens teeth, it also makes the enamel healthier and whiter.

Please visit our website for further information about teeth whitening and the home teeth whitening kits we stock!