The most obvious culprits are dark-colored foods and beverages: red wine, coffee, cola, tea, and even some less commonly mentioned ones, such as berries and tomato sauce. (A dentist once told us if it can stain a white T-shirt, it can stain your teeth.) “Residue from those foods and drinks attach to the tooth, causing what are known as extrinsic or surface stains,” says Kevin B. Sands, DDS, a celebrity dentist in Beverly Hills. Tobacco can also cause this type of staining—as if you needed yet another reason to not smoke—but even if you avoid all of those outside factors, there’s one culprit that’s unavoidable. “One of the top reasons for tooth discoloration is aging,” says Maryam Bakhtiyari, DDS, a board-certified dentist in California. On the bright side (pun intended), there are plenty of things you can do to score the pearly whites of your dreams. Ahead, dentists weigh in on five of the best ways to whiten teeth. Try the Colgate Optic White Renewal Toothpaste ($11 for two; amazon.com), which contains three percent hydrogen peroxide to help remove up to 10 years’ worth of yellow stains. Or the cool new Hello Antiplaque + Whitening Toothpaste Tablets ($8; amazon.com) that you chew to activate. And while we’re on the subject of brushing, it’s important not to underestimate the impact of good dental hygiene in general. “A lot of staining residue tends to absorb into existing plaque so flossing and brushing daily will help keep stains at bay,” explains Dr. Sands. Dr. Lowenberg also recommends pairing white strips with a whitening toothpaste to maximize at-home results. Keep in mind that you should follow the product directions exactly; overusing strips can just lead to sensitivity and damage to the tooth enamel, rather than whiter teeth. Most are meant to be used for a two-week long period, and if you really want to up the results, start this right after you’ve gone in for your annual dental exam and cleaning (the cleaner your teeth, the better they’ll work). Try: Crest Whitestrips ($40; walgreens.com). RELATED: 5 Trending Foods That Are Surprisingly Bad for Your Teeth
