Eat Your Way to Pearly Whites

Can you trade in your teeth-whitening products for something green instead? Maybe.

Getting more greens in your diet -- along with other veggies and fruit -- could help thwart staining, write RealAge experts Michael Roizen, MD, and Mehmet Oz, MD, in their new book, YOU: Being Beautiful.

Protect and Destroy
Sure, cutting back on coffee may help, too. But why not make more trips to the produce aisle for extra insurance. Apples, celery, and carrots act as natural stain removers, Drs. Roizen and Oz note in their book, while greens such as spinach, broccoli, and lettuce create a film over the teeth that serves as a stain barrier. Get more look good, feel good tips in their book.

Stain Be Gone
Here are a few more tricks and tips for keeping your choppers gleaming and healthy:

• Swish and sip some water after eating a couple of bites of foods known to stain teeth (like red wine, tea, blueberries, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato sauce, and grape and cranberry juice).
• Skip the bubbly beverages, even if they are diet. Check out why fizzy drinks are so bad for your teeth.
• Think "nature's candies." Go for sweet, natural treats that teeth love. Like these.

How do healthy teeth help your heart? Get the answer in this article.

YOU: Being Beautiful -- The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty. Oz, M. C., Roizen, M. F., New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008.