an anti - staining , antibacterial dentifrice comprises an anti - staining effective amount of an orally acceptable polymer or copolymer that comprises a plurality of monomeric groups of formula wherein one of a and a ′ is hydrogen and the other is a moiety n m , n in individual such moieties is independently 0 or 1 , linking groups x if present independently comprise an oxygen , sulfur , nitrogen , phosphorus or silicon atom , 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 , terminal groups r are independently hydrogen or c 1 - 18 organic radicals , and 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 . the dentifrice further comprises an antibacterial effective amount of an orally acceptable halogenated diphenylether antibacterial agent , and an antibacterial enhancing effective amount of an orally acceptable polyvinylmethylether / maleic anhydride copolymer .