Bright teeth contrast well against dark hair and skin. Do not smoke or chew tobacco. Tobacco quickly stains teeth yellow and brown. It also causes the gums to pull away from teeth and expose tooth roots. The sugar used to flavor smokeless tobacco causes tooth decay.
Tobacco also causes oral cancer.
Limit consumption of acidic foods. These foods open up the pores of the enamel, allowing stains to easily penetrate the tooth. Brush your teeth or rinse them with water immediately after eating a snack or drinking a beverage. Avoid abrasive whitening toothpastes, since there is only limited evidence that tartar control, baking soda or peroxide toothpastes remove stains more effectively than regular fluoride toothpaste. If possible, avoid tetracycline drugs while teeth are developing.