For four years I had braces, and a perfectionist Orthodontist.

I was left with straight teeth that were pearly white, but now constant cups of tea have stained them horribly. I can imagine my orthodontist with his clipped Geman accent vividly now, chastising me!

I am on my third cup of tea today, and it is 11:30 am, sigh. I am working until midnight tonight on a paper so, at least 5 more...

What to do...sigh.

Drink through a straw!

I thought it was people without teeth than drank through straws!

Go get them cleaned... and then start using 'Pearl Drops' or something from now on. Problem solved

When was the last time you went to see a dental hygienist for a scale and polish? Think it might be time!

Don't feel bad- I havn't been to a dentist since I was a child! (Due to my parents hating the dentist) My teeth were always fairly straight but my second lot of wisdom teeth have started making the front ones wonky! I have no fillings and never had any pain with them though so that has to be a good thing? Am gonna have to bite the bullet and go soon...

Hygenist time I think.

I have the same problem with tea drinking ... nothing a scale and polish can't fix

Sillybilly - I totally understand. I had trigeminal neuralgia in the past (induced by braces!) so hated people poking around in my mouth.

I'll have to bite the bullet too!

I go to the dentist every 6 months for check ups, xrays, cleaning and polish. This is in the US. Normally the prevention stuff is covered by insurance 100%. I will have to pay out of pocket for my next US dental visit this summer, but even at that, I think I was told about £50, which is well worth it. I went awhile without going to the dentist, and when I went in I was horrified, I had to get two fillings, a root canal and a crown--and I was not having pain or problems. Lack of pain or lack of problems does NOT mean your teeth and gums are not having issues. That was such a wake up call that now I get to the dentist like clockwork.

I drank honey and lemon (once) for a cold and it cleaned my tea mug up a treat - from brown and 'orrible to gleaming pearlescent in one easy step. How about trying the same thing - gargle with honey & lemon for 2 minutes.
...though it might erode yer teeth a bit...

Hmm, hypothesis - pearly whites v erosion. I'm trying the honey. All surface, no feeling!

Hmm. No honey in the cupboard - maybe Lyle's Golden Syrup will work?

I drink tea like there's no tomorrow and I find that using a decent electric toothbrush with the special plastic bristles on got rid of all my horrible tea stains.
Still too scared to visit the dentist though, aside from the fact I can't actually afford a visit

This being the only smiley to show its pearly whites--must represent someone at the dentist--the expression is right. Flossing is also really really key to dental health, according to my dentist.Brushing alone is not considered enough. What is the situation of getting to a dentist in the UK ( asking out of curiousity, not that I am in need of one at the moment)? Is it an NHS covered service?

I'm on coffee 7 since this morning - I never even drank coffee before I started writing up - now I can't get enough - I think its just a bad habbit