How well you care for your teeth and gums has a powerful effect on your overall health. Neglecting your oral health can open the door to all sorts of health problems, including some pretty nasty diseases like oral cancer. Researchers have found possible connections between gum problems and heart disease, bacterial pneumonia, stroke, and even problem pregnancies.

Brush more frequently, especially after drinking dark or reddish drinks like coffee and colas. This will prevent the coloring from sticking to your teeth. If you are used to brushing only in the mornings and evenings, try midday, after meals.

You could also try to stop or decrease the amount of stain-causing beverages because this will make your teeth look duller eventually. If you can, try adding a some cream or milk to your drink. You could also start using straws. This way, your drink can have less contact with your front teeth.

If you like sweets, you could consider cutting back a little. The sugar content in anything sweet is very high, and it could stick to the tiny crevices and cause plaque build up. This will result in stained teeth and eventually tooth decay.

The last bad habit is smoking. If you are a smoker, look at the end of the cigarette where you inhale, you will notice a yellow stain. This is what will happen to your teeth, skin, and fingers with constant smoking. If you value your teeth, you should stop. In fact, if you value your life, you should quit the habit.


While the benefits are solely cosmetic, with today's products, whitening is a very safe procedure that will not harm your teeth as long as the products are used as directed and you are under the care of a dentist, says Dr. Waldman. Over-the-counter whitening products are effective for minor staining; professional-strength whitening products are better for more-severe yellowing. Speak to your dentist before undergoing any whitening procedure to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy.