A method for inhibiting chemical staining of a dental surface comprises contacting the dental surface, prior to said staining, with an orally acceptable polymer or copolymer comprising a plurality of monomeric groups of formula (I) wherein (a) one of A and A′ is hydrogen and the other is a moiety (X)n(R)m, (b) n in individual such moieties is independently 0 or 1, (c) linking groups X if present independently comprise an oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus or silicon atom, (d) where n is 0, m is 1, and where n is 1, m is independently an integer from 1 to 3 as determined by X, (e) terminal groups R are independently hydrogen or C1-18 organic radicals, and (f) M and M′ are independently selected from hydrogen, alkali metal and ammonium; said polymer or copolymer having an average molecular weight of at least about 1,000.