Tooth Staining and Discoloration

Staining and tooth discoloration are among the most common aesthetic dental problems which in many situations are quite hard to get rid of by using only natural or home-made remedies. It is a known fact that a lot of people have naturally yellowish or slightly gray shades of their teeth, and up-to-date cosmetic dentistry can offer several effective treatments of such problem, including various teeth whitening procedures, tooth bonding, dental crowns and veneers, etc. Such procedures are very popular and demanded nowadays since every modern person dreams about having a perfect smile.

There are various reasons of staining and discoloration, which include, first of all, poor oral hygiene and constant exposure to so called chromogenic agents, such as coffee, tea, cola, tobacco and other products. Regular users of such products have staining effects on their teeth. Also, this problem can be cause by aging, using low quality mouthwashes and certain medicines which affect the enamel (in particular, some antibiotics), excessive amounts of fluoride (especially in children) and other factors.

Modern specialists define two types of dental staining. Outside (or extrinsic) stains are the pigment that are located on the surface of the teeth. They are usually caused by smoking, drinking too much of tea, coffee, cola, etc., or as a result of a chemical reactions with some medicines. Extrinsic stains can have a variety of shades, starting from dark and greenish (tar strain) and ending with orange and yellowish. As a rule, outside stains can be easily bleached away, polished or removed by using other dental cleaning procedure.

Inside stains are connected with the staining inside of the tooth anatomy. Since such staining occurs much deeper in the tooth structure, it is usually much harder to combat with. Such type of straining usually has more serious effects on the teeth and can be caused by many reasons, such as worn out tooth enamel, excessive fluoride ingestion, traumas, bacterial infections or using some medicines (Tetracycline, Minocycline, etc). Heredity also plays an important role in developing inside stains.

According to recent studies, modern women are less commonly affected by tooth staining than men. However, it is necessary for every modern person to remember that such problem as tooth staining and discoloration can be prevented by following very easy and healthy principles of good dental care. Use whitening chewing gum, brush and floss your teeth on a regular basis, visit your dentist every six month for a check-up and use professional dental cleaning on time. This way, your teeth will be always white and shiny, and your smile will always be bright and attractive.