There are many things people do during the day that can lead to unsightly tooth staining – from smoking to drinking red wine.

Another big offender, which many are aware about, is coffee. But drinking coffee, particularly in the morning, is a habit many people will struggle to give up – even if it is go get pearly white teeth. Luckily, a doctor has shared that he has a “easy and cheap” trick to keep his teeth white, even though he drinks black coffee every day.

London-based dentist Dr Onkar Mudhar drinks two to three black coffees a day, and he explained that people often ask him how he manages to “keep his teeth so white” when he’s “always drinking black coffee”. Coffee is known to stain teeth, because it contains tannins, which are a type of polyphenol that breaks down in water. These cause colour compounds to stick to your teeth, which can leave them with a yellow hue.

In a recent TikTok video, Dr Onkar explained: “Easiest and cheapest way that I will say I keep my teeth white. I don’t use a straw when I drink hot drinks, I think that’s weird. I rinse out after with water. It really is the most tried and tested simple method.”

He recommended taking a “sip of water in your mouth” and “swishing it around your teeth”. Then you can either just swallow the water after, or if you spit it out into a white sink you’ll “see that the water is actually dark”. Explaining why, he said: “That’s because the tannins stick to your teeth. That last bit of tannins is what sticks to your teeth, especially in the gaps in-between.”

Dr Onkar also said his “darker skin tone” and dark beard also make his white teeth stand out. But there are other ways of making sure your teeth are looking their best – including seeing your dentist or hygienist for treatments regularly. He continued: “Or airflow [tooth polishing], or professional teeth whitening, or using tooth whitening toothpaste that are designed by dentists, and there’s only one on the market and it’s the Enlighten Serum. The Duo pack especially. That is a great product.”