12 Foods That Naturally Whiten Your Teeth

Don't let the red color fool you. Malic acid, a chief component of strawberries, acts as a natural astringent to remove surface tooth discoloration, says Dr. Irwin Smigel, president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics. No matter how you eat 'em — in salads, desserts, cereal — you'll be whitening your smile in the process. You can even mash one up and put it on your toothbrush.

They won't work wonders for your breath, but sulfur compounds in onions keep plaque from forming on your teeth (plus, you're more likely to brush your teeth after eating them). The only catch? The anti-plaque powers only work when you eat onions raw.

That loud crunch you hear when you bite into an apple is actually helping to strengthen your gums, and the fruit's high water content increases saliva production. Not the most attractive thing to think about, but that extra spit washes away bacteria that can lead to discoloration.

Switch up your morning routine and try brushing with baking soda, which acts like a bleaching agent on teeth. The "soda" — which is actually a form of salt — in this pantry staple scrubs off plaque and surface stains.