How to prevent teeth staining – 7 expert tips to keep your teeth bright and healthy

If, like me, you're a big fan of tea and coffee, you'll know these brown-coloured hot drinks are far from ideal if you're trying to prevent teeth staining.

While I could certainly look to cut my intake down, I don't want my diet to be limited by potentially teeth-staining food and drink. So to try and keep my teeth looking healthy and bright and discolouration to a minimum, I had a chat with award-winning cosmetic dentist Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri of Smart Dental & Aesthetics.

Here Dr Shaadi shares her expert advice for prevent discolouring and yellowing of teeth, as well as some tips and tools – including the best electric toothbrushes – to help maintain good oral hygiene.

Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri

Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri is an award-winning cosmetic dentist and facial aesthetic practitioner. After completing her dental education and training, Dr. Manouchehri embarked on a mission to deliver the highest quality care and transform the lives of her patients through the latest techniques and treatments. She has extensive experience and expertise in a wide range of cosmetic procedures, including composite bonding, porcelain veneers, orthodontics, smile makeovers and dermal fillers.

1. Practice Good Oral Hygiene

There's a reason cleaning your teeth is the top answer for preventing teeth staining - it works.

"Brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, and use an electric toothbrush," says Dr Shaadi. "Floss daily too - flossing removes plaque and food particles that can contribute to staining between teeth. And finally, use a tongue scraper to remove buildup on the tongue.

"The electric toothbrush I recommend is the iO series by Oral-B. It’s effective yet gentle, has a pressure sensor to prevent overbrushing, a timer to let you know when it’s been two minutes and it’s clinically proven to be better at removing plaque compared to a manual toothbrush."

Shop Oral-B iO series

2. Minimise contact

"Try to limit consumption of stain-causing foods and drinks including coffee, tea, red wine, dark sodas, and acidic drinks," Dr Shaadi advises, and recommends these simple but clever tricks to reduce the risk of staining your teeth for when you do want to indulge

"When drinking staining beverages, use a straw to minimise contact with your teeth, and rinse your mouth with water after consuming stain-causing foods like berries, curry, or soy sauce.

"Acidic foods and drinks can erode enamel, making teeth more susceptible to staining and erosion which can expose the more yellow dentine layer underneath."

3. Avoid Tobacco

There's no getting around the effect smoking has on your teeth and oral health in general. "Smoking or chewing tobacco is a major cause of teeth discolouration," says Dr Shaadi. "To help reduce stain building when smoking, use an electric toothbrush and have an effective oral hygiene routine."

But the most effective way to prevent teeth staining is to give up. "Quitting not only improves your oral health but also prevents yellowing and staining."

4. Have Regular Dental Cleanings

You may own a fancy electric toothbrush and have mastered your brushing technique, but very few toothbrushes come even remotely close to the deep clean from a professional.

"Visit your dentist or dental hygienist every six months for professional cleanings," Dr Shaadi advises. "This removes surface stains and prevents tartar buildup. Airflow treatment is a revolutionary treatment, which removes surface stains with a fine powder and warm water for maximum efficiency and comfort."

5. Use Whitening Toothpastes in moderation

As someone who actively looks for and regularly uses a whitening toothpaste, this one was a bit of a shock to me.

"Use whitening toothpaste to help remove surface stains," Dr Shaadi says. "But use it sparingly - prolonged continuous use can wear teeth enamel. Most whitening toothpastes are recommended to be used for a brief period as an adjunct to other whitening treatments.""

6. Maintain a Balanced Diet & Drink Plenty of water

If you're a big fan of cheese, you'll like this one. "Crunchy fruits and vegetables, like apples and carrots, act as natural cleansers and stimulate saliva production, which also cleanses the mouth," says Dr Shaadi. "Cheese and other dairy products can help neutralise acids and strengthen enamel too.

"Drinking water throughout the day helps wash away food particles and bacteria. It’s particularly effective after meals."

7. Professional Whitening treatment

"This is by far the most effective treatment," Dr Shaadi says. "Custom-made whitening trays and peroxide based whitening gels prescribed by your dentist can effectively brighten the teeth to their brightest potential safely.

If budget limits this option for you, Dr Shaadi has another very effective solution you can get from a dentist. "Airflow treatment with guided biofilm therapy to remove surface stains with a gentle powder and warm water."