The people who sell bleach kits are making a lot of money these days. But keeping your teeth white, much like keeping the weight off, is easier than starting over with a daunting task ahead.

Here’s a tip I learned from a hygenist at my dentist’s office. Brush your teeth *before* you have a drink that’ll stain your teeth. In my case, they were talking about coffee and tea, but I suppose you could apply the wisdom to colas, red wine, anything dark and staining.

They told me the idea is that brushing first gets rid of the layer of plaque that builds up, and that staining compounds can cling to.

Of course a rinse with water or brushing afterward is also a good idea, but the *brushing* before my coffee suggestion was new to me and seems to be working, so I thought I’d share.

That’s all for now. My hot tea is now cool enough to drink.