Solutions To Common Dental Problems
Discoloured or Stained Teeth
Do you have discoloured or stained teeth?
Over time, your teeth can change colour, appearing yellow, grey, or even showing tinges of orange, black, or brown.
Discolouration can affect either the outer surface or the inner part of your teeth. Identifying the type of staining helps determine the right treatment.
You don’t have to live with discoloured or stained teeth – brightening your smile and restoring that fresh look is possible!
Causes of Teeth Discolouration and Staining
Teeth can discolour or stain for several reasons, including:
Age & Genetics
- Ageing wears down enamel, exposing the yellow dentin. Using abrasive toothpaste and hard-bristled toothbrushes can accelerate this process.
- Genetics determine the natural colour of your teeth, just like your hair and skin, since they all originate from the same embryonic germ layer. Your teeth's whiteness or yellowness is largely predetermined, but environmental factors influence their shade as they develop.
Lifestyle
- Smoking stains teeth over time, leading to a brown hue due to tobacco use.
- Dark-coloured drinks like tea, coffee, and red wine can stain teeth over time.
Dental
- Mouthwashes containing chemicals like chlorhexidine can cause brown stains on teeth over time.
- Dental materials like silver amalgam can cause a bluish-grey hue on teeth over time.
- Excessive fluoride use can cause fluorosis, resulting in white spots or a mottled appearance on teeth. This typically occurs from overuse of fluoride supplements, rinses, or toothpaste.
- Braces and other orthodontic treatments can make it harder to clean teeth properly, leading to staining.
- Excessive brushing can wear down tooth enamel, revealing the yellow dentine underneath.
- Poor oral hygiene, including infrequent brushing and flossing, leads to plaque build-up and the formation of calculus. This allows stain-causing foods and drinks to remain on the surface of your teeth, gradually changing the enamel's pigmentation. Over time, brushing alone may not be enough to remove the staining and discolouration.
Trauma/Injury
- Trauma or injury to the teeth - where damage to the tooth's pulp and bleeding can lead to tooth discoloration
Tooth decay also contributes to discolouring and staining teeth. It can cause colours ranging from orange to brown to black. Since enamel is transparent, the affected dentine shows through. Advanced decay creates cavities that trap food debris, where bacteria thrive. Combined with stains from food and drinks, this causes the teeth to change colour.
FAQs about Discoloured or Stained teeth
Yellow and stained teeth can occur for a number of reasons. These may include:
- Aging
- Certain food – oranges, berries
- Certain drinks – red wine, coffee
- Smoking
- Poor dental care
- Thin enamel
- Certain medications
- Trauma and internal bleeding of a permanent tooth
- High fluoride levels
When it comes to yellow, discoloured and stained teeth, prevention is better than cure. But in most cases, brightening a smile or reversing a stain or discoloration is within your reach.
There are a number of treatment options available for yellow, stained and discoloured teeth.
It is important to speak with a dentist to determine why you have discoloured teeth. This will also ensure you get the appropriate treatment for your individual circumstances.
- Maintain good oral hygiene – brush and floss your teeth daily. This will eliminate plaque build up and reduce the onset of discoloration
- Modify your diet and lifestyle choices
- Have regular checkups and dental cleanings and polishing
- Visit your dentist for teeth whitening treatments
Preventing Discolouration and Teeth Staining
The discolouration of teeth is common but preventable. Maintain good oral hygiene by:
- Using floss or interdental brushes to clean between teeth
- Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
- Having regular dental check-ups
- Scheduling professional dental cleanings regularly
- Rinsing your mouth after eating or drinking to remove food particles
Consider reducing foods and drinks that may stain your teeth. Maintain good oral health, make smart lifestyle choices, and schedule regular check-ups and professional cleanings to keep your teeth bright.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Stains
Discoloration or staining can be categorised as intrinsic or extrinsic:
- Intrinsic staining occurs within the tooth and is harder to remove. It can be caused by trauma, tooth decay, medications, or even during pregnancy.
- Extrinsic staining affects the surface of the tooth and is generally superficial, often caused by food, drinks, or smoking.
Treatment
The obvious treatment for discoloured teeth is whitening. Depending on the stain's intensity and colour, you can choose whitening toothpaste, over-the-counter products, or professional whitening by a dentist.
Professional whitening can be done with a take-home kit or in the dental chair. It uses a bleaching agent (hydrogen peroxide) to remove both surface stains and stubborn, deeper intrinsic stains.
Other treatment options include:
- Veneers: A thin layer of material is applied to cover discolouration and reshape the tooth.
- Crowns and white fillings: These can help restore the appearance of your teeth.
- Professional dental cleaning: This removes plaque and tartar build-up, reducing the chance of stains and discolouration.
Transform Your Smile At Woodville Seaton Dental Clinic
Tooth discoloration is common, but it's both preventable and treatable.
A visit to the dentist can help identify the causes of discoloration and stains, offering solutions to prevent further damage.
Don't let stained or discoloured teeth hold you back from showing off your radiant smile. Regain your confidence with a beautiful smile!
To find out more about treating your discoloured or stained teeth, call our friendly staff at Woodville & Seaton Dental Clinic on (08) 8268 5422 or request an appointment online.
