Maintaining healthy white teeth begins at a young age. The enamel of the teeth is subject to stains and erosion over time from the foods we eat and beverages we drink, on top of other things. Adults spend a lot of money on commercial teeth whitening products to restore the healthy, white aesthetic on their teeth, but for kids maintaining healthy white teeth can come at less of a cost. There are a number of teeth whitening solutions that don’t require regularly purchasing expensive oral hygiene products to whiten teeth and, for kids, these are effective ways in which they can preserve enamel and maintain a healthy smile naturally.
Often preserving the whiteness of enamel comes down to simply taking additional steps to care for your teeth on a day to day basis, avoiding certain foods and drinks, and altering dietary habits somewhat. For kids, these are ideal solutions to protecting and whitening teeth. Here are some great natural solutions to help kids keep their teeth white.
Lemon and Baking Soda
These two items are excellent cleaning solutions for their deodorizing and stain removing properties. This same chemical reaction is useful for removing stains from enamel. To apply to teeth, mix a small amount of baking soda with lemon juice and brush it on the teeth. Allow the solution of sit for a minute before brushing and rinsing it off of the teeth. Lemon juice is highly acidic and the same stain removing powers also damage enamel. Only perform this whitening treatment once a week on older children to prevent the acidity of the lemon juice from damaging the enamel.
Consume Hard Fruits and Vegetables
Hard fruits and vegetables, beyond being very good for your health, can also help to clean and whiten teeth. Fruits and vegetables such as celery, carrots, apples, and pears can help remove surface stains and bacteria from teeth through a scouring action as they are chewed. Some fruits, such as apples, contain malic acid, a chemical contained in many commercial whitening products that aids in removing surface stains from teeth. White eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is always a good thing, these are not comprehensive whitening solutions. They can, however, give your teeth a quick scouring to remove stains when brushing isn’t possible. You will, of course, also get the benefit of vitamins and minerals.
Limit Sugary and Acidic Foods
Some big contributors to tooth decay and staining are foods and drinks high in sugars and citric acids. Limiting or eliminating these from kid’s diets is a good way to help preserve enamel and keep teeth white. For kids, this can be a difficult proposition, but reducing the amount of soda and other acidic foods and drinks is in their long term dental health interest. Keeping the amount of sugars and acids in their diet to a low will help preserve enamel and keep teeth whiter.
Maintain Brushing and Flossing Routine
Be sure kids are brushing and flossing twice a day. After consuming sugary, acidic foods or drinks, encourage them to brush within 30 minutes to an hour. This will help to remove hard to see food and bacteria and can create a cleaner, whiter appearance on the surface of teeth. Consistently making an effort to remove stains causing discoloration on the teeth is the most effective natural whitening solution. A regular brushing and flossing routine will keep teeth cleaner throughout the day, gradually whiten teeth, and preserve enamel over time.