Facts About Tooth Staining and Discoloration

Whatever the cause, you don’t have to live with it. There are lots of options available that will help you to address the root cause of your discolouration. And if the most common methods don’t work for you, there are options to help hide and conceal discolouration.

Why aren’t my teeth white?

The colour of your teeth can be influenced by lots of factors, including the translucence of your enamel (or surface) layer, the darkness of your dentin layer underneath your enamel, the size of the tooth (big teeth have more of the dark dentin layer, which makes them look darker) and even the lighting in the room you’re in.

Then there is tooth staining and discoloration, where your enamel is stained by things other than your teeth’s natural state.

What causes tooth staining and discoloration?

Most tooth staining is the result of two things:

Tartar (calculus) build up

Surface stains caused by the food and drink you consume, by tobacco or by medicines you take

It’s not always the case that you aren’t brushing your teeth well enough. Your teeth might look solid, but they are actually porous and will soak up stains from your food and drink. Over time, these stains can make your teeth appear dull and discoloured.

Luckily, there are lots of treatment options for both kinds of staining.

How do I remove tooth stains?

If you have a special occasion on the horizon and you would like to address staining on your teeth, there are lots of options available. The right treatment for you will all depend on the cause of the staining and your budget. Here are some of our most popular treatments to help address tooth staining and discolouration:

Professional deep cleaning

The simplest way to remove surface stains is with careful cleaning. You can clean your teeth using best tooth brushing practices at home, and for more stubborn discoloration you can have a professional cleaning, often called scaling and polishing.

Professional cleanings are the best – and often only – way to remove tartar build up. Airflow tooth polishing is a popular treatment that doesn’t use any tools against your teeth. Instead, it directs a high pressure stream of water, air and fine particles against the surface of your teeth. This gently buffs away plaque and calculus deposits from the surface of your teeth and along the gum line.

Not only does this treatment help to deliver cleaner than clean teeth, it also helps to keep your gums healthy and free from gum disease.

At home whitening

There are lots of options for bleaching your teeth at home that will deliver variable results. Bear in mind that these products will contain bleaching chemicals at much lower levels, as this is what is considered safe for home use.

Most bleaching products use either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide (which breaks down into hydrogen peroxide) to brighten enamel colour and remove stains.

If you want to start with home options, you can find low-level bleaching products in the form of

Whitening strips

Bleaching pens

Whitening toothpaste

These options will have limited effectiveness, but are also less likely to cause any damage to your teeth.

Professional teeth bleaching

If your teeth are discoloured by surface stains, you may need to turn to bleaching. For more advanced stains and discolouration, professional bleaching options include:

Light-accelerated bleaching, where the tooth is coated with a bleach gel, then treated with a light blast to accelerate the effects of the gel

Internal bleaching

You can only get these treatments at the dentist, as the chemicals are too strong to be used at home without supervision. These treatments are very safe when handled correctly, but there is a risk of burning your gums if they are not used correctly.

Masking

You can also mask stains with composite bonding, crowns or tooth veneers, both of which involve covering teeth with materials of various thicknesses that are then bonded directly to the teeth.

This is a popular treatment if your discolouration is caused by something other than stains. For example, if the tooth has had a root canal procedure, it can look dark and discoloured. The only way to treat this and restore witness would be with a crown or veneer. It’s also suitable for discoloration that is caused by certain medications or a fluoride reaction.

Which option is right for me?

Remember that all of these treatment options can result in tooth sensitivity and gum irritation, so start with the gentlest treatments and get advice from your dental care professional if you have any concerns.

Before choosing the right treatment, it’s a good idea to book an appointment with your cosmetic dentist to find out the cause of the discoloration. From there, we can check if there are any health issues that need to be addressed before we tackle the colour of your teeth.

It’s always best to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy before moving forward with any treatment.