Imagine opening a wicker basket filled with crunchy mixed nuts, sharp cheeses, and tangy citrus fruits. No, it's not a delightfully healthy picnic spread. It's actually everyday food items that can help whiten your teeth. Here's some more food for thought — the food you gobble up affects your teeth whiteness. It's true. You could go down the oral health aisle and grab a teeth whitener off the shelf. Or you can update your grocery list by adding (and scratching off) foods that make your teeth white and you happy. Chances are, most of the items are already in your fridge or pantry. Give the below a taste to see for sure.

1) Avoiding Certain Foods

First things first — prevention. This means before you start adding to your diet, you should be eliminating some food and drink stain-causing culprits. By keeping them a part of your routine and menu, you're allowing them to slowly discolor your teeth over time.

To stop your teeth from staining, try eliminating:

• Coffee and tea
• Red wine
• Berries
• Pasta sauce
• Curries

2) Tart Foods

You may not know it, but the saliva in your mouth is your own personal teeth whitener. It naturally washes away food debris that can stain your teeth. Try tart foods like:

• Grapefruits
• Lemons
• Limes
• Oranges
• Green apples

They can boost your saliva production into overdrive to help keep those choppers squeaky clean.

3) Dairy Products

Some say, 'cheese makes everything better.' Well, they may not be wrong. The benefits of cheese and yogurt are plentiful and, of course, flavorful. Dairy has the ability to:

• Strengthen teeth and bones with calcium
• Decrease tooth decay and staining by increasing the pH level in your mouth
• Overpower the harmful bacteria with the good probiotic bacteria found in yogurt
• Assist in scrubbing away food and stains with hard cheeses like parmesan, romano, and gouda

4) Crunchy Foods

Again, the more that can help produce saliva and protect your teeth against decay, the better. Enter — crunchy foods. So, think:

• Apples, again
• Celery
• Carrots
• Nuts

All of them help assist in your saliva making ability. And these crunchy items are somewhat abrasive on your teeth, aiding in scrubbing down those surface stains.

5) Pineapple

According to ResearchGate, bromelain, an abundant protein found in pineapple, aids in removing surface stains and plaque. It's also been known to decrease inflammation from sores gums. Now there's food to pine for.

Sure, you can opt for an over-the-counter teeth whitener. And they'll help. But proper oral hygiene combined with these simple diet and menu tweaks will make that bright smile of yours really pop. Just remember — keep the red wine corked and pop open sparkling soda on your picnic instead.