causes of Tooth Discoloration

Causes of Tooth Discoloration and Stains

Even though you brush and floss regularly, you may experience gradual tooth discoloration over time. This is because there are so many substances that can stain your teeth. Teeth whitening is a sure way to restore the pristine beauty of your smile. While there are many different factors that can contribute to tooth discoloration, we’d like to look at some of the basic ones so you know what to look out for.

Contents

Certain Beverages

There are plenty of beverages out there that can leave your teeth to look tarnished over time. These beverages include:

  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Red wine
  • Cranberry juice
  • Cola and soft drinks

General rule: if it can stain a white napkin, it can lead to staining of your teeth with enough exposure.

Some Foods

Much like beverages, foods can also lead to stains on your teeth. The same sort of rubric applies–if it can stain a napkin, it can lead to stains on your teeth given time. Some of these foods include:

  • Beets
  • Curries and sauces
  • Blueberries and blackberries
  • Soy sauce
  • Popsicles
  • Candies

Smoking and Chewing Tobacco

Cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco can all leave your teeth looking dingy and tarnished. These aesthetic problems are just another reason why you should quit using any tobacco products. It’s better not to start using them at all if possible.

Poor Dental Hygiene

Brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist regularly will not just keep your teeth healthy, it will keep them looking great as well. Tooth decay and gum disease can affect the aesthetics of a smile just as much as the health of the smile.

Injury to the Tooth

Tooth decay isn’t the only cause of tooth discoloration. If your tooth suffers some sort of trauma, it can become discolored. This is true of dental traumas at an early age as well as those experienced in adult life.

Certain Medications

A number of medications may have tooth discoloration as a side effect. Some of these include:

  • Tetracycline
  • Doxycycline
  • Certain antihistamines
  • Certain antihypertensive drugs
  • Certain antipsychotic  drugs
  • Rinses that contain cetylpyridinium chloride
  • Rinses that contain chlorhexidine

It’s important to ask your physician about all potential side effects before you begin using any mediation.

Too Much Fluoride

You would think there are no faults of getting fluoride in your diet, but you need to be careful. Excessive fluoride can alter the color of your smile. Before taking any fluoride supplements, be sure to discuss the matter with our team.

The Natural Aging Process

Getting older combined with all of the above exposures will lead to changes in the color of your teeth. In a sense, a certain amount of tooth discoloration is unavoidable.

Teeth Whitening

With so many causes of tooth discoloration and dental stains, it’s no wonder that teeth whitening is so popular. Whether you’re facing minor yellowing or major discoloration, it may be the dental bleaching option you’ve been waiting for.

Keeping our teeth their whitest is a lot harder than it sounds. With all the coffee, wine, smoking and other foods that have the ability to stain our teeth on a daily basis, even proper maintenance sometimes leaves them a little lackluster. Teeth whitening is an excellent way to restore the natural color of your teeth or even make them whiter than your natural color if you would like.

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