Stains on your teeth can be unsightly, and naturally many people would like to avoid them. Most stains on your teeth are caused by the use of foods or consumables (like tobacco) that have staining properties. In a few cases, stains on your teeth may be caused by medications. In this last case, usually the stains are an unfortunate side effect of needed medications, and the best bet for people may be to consider porcelain veneers to disguise tooth discoloration.

There are many foods that can create stains on your teeth. Coffee and tea are two of the biggest culprits. It’s worth mentioning tobacco, which accounts for significant staining whether it is smoked or chewed. Curry powder with its bright red, brown or yellow color can result in yellow stained teeth. Most berries, which are rich in color will cause stains on your teeth too. In reality there are many foods that are likely to cause tooth staining, including both artificially or naturally colored foods.

You can, of course, avoid all these foods, but that might keep you on a very limited diet. Instead, the best way to avoid stains on your teeth is to brush regularly. If at breakfast, you eat a few berries on your cereal, finish the meal by two minutes of brushing with a good toothpaste, preferably one that contains fluoride. Many of the new electric toothbrushes are being praised for being better able to eliminate plaque.

Yet even the simple toothbrush will do if you’re a good brusher who keeps it up for two minutes. Ideally you should brush your teeth after consumption of food or beverages. Chewing sugarless gum after consuming meals when you can’t brush, can additionally cut down on plaque build up and staining.

The other important aspect of avoiding stains on your teeth is making sure that you maintain dental cleaning appointments twice a year. This can help remove any stubborn plaque to which stains might adhere. When you have plastic fillings, it’s especially important to maintain regular toothbrushing, and to see your dentist twice a year. Many stains can be lifted off teeth, but can’t be lifted off adhesives that are attached to teeth. Instead any plastic or tooth colored adhesive has to be replaced to eliminate stains.

If you take a liquid form of iron, you are very likely to have stains on your teeth. You should always brush right after taking a liquid iron supplement, and possibly consider switching to a capsule or pill supplement so the iron does not have to come into contact with the teeth. Smokers and tobacco chewers tend to have the worst stains on their teeth. Quitting tobacco use can reduce further staining of your teeth, and is simply a healthy choice to make overall.

Some medications, like tetracycline, can directly cause internal staining to the teeth, which can’t be eliminated by brushing or bleaching. Others cause dry mouth, which means food particles more readily stick to the teeth and result in extrinsic or exterior staining. Many over the counter and prescription medications can create dry mouth. These include most decongestants, antihistamines, anti-depressants, mood stabilizers, and tranquilizers.

To minimize stains on your teeth if you must take medications that cause significant dry mouth, brushing regularly is extremely important. People with dry mouth are more predisposed to tooth decay and bacterial build up in the mouth. You can help address this by using an antibacterial mouthwash after each brushing. Also, drink plenty of water, as this can help minimize dry mouth.