Tobacco, coffee, tea, red wine, kola nut(African) and chlorhexidine mouthwash are major culprits when it comes to teeth stains.
The following are ways to prevent these culprits from staining your teeth.
- Quit tobacco: aside from the fact that smokers are liable to die young, tobacco also causes embarrassing teeth stains. Whether you chew or smoke tobacco, it leaves unsightly stains on your teeth.
- Make use of a straw when taking colored drinks.
- Drink water/rinse your mouth after taking coffee or tea.
- Brush your teeth twice daily. Brushing after food will also help prevent stains. However, you may have to delay brushing for 30mins after taking acidic foods to prevent your teeth from wearing off.
- Use chlorhexidine mouthwash only for the time your dentist recommends. Avoid prolonged use of chlorhexidine as it is known to stain the teeth. You could use other mouthwashes.
- Floss regularly: stains tend to gather in areas not easily accessible to brushing such as in between the teeth. Flossing helps prevent buildup of stains.
- Lastly, go for regular scaling and polishing (professional teeth cleaning) to prevent accumulation of dirts and stains.
The good thing about these stains is that they are external, hence they can be easily removed by the professional cleaning of the teeth done by dentists.