As a dentist, one of the most common cosmetic concerns I get from patients is stained or discolored teeth. While it’s perfectly normal for teeth to pick up stains over time, many people feel self-conscious about yellowed, dull or discolored teeth. If you’re unhappy with the shade of your smile, it’s helpful to understand the various causes of tooth staining as well as what prevention and treatment options are available.

What Causes Tooth Staining and Discoloration?

There are two main types of tooth staining – extrinsic and intrinsic stains. Extrinsic stains affect the outer tooth enamel, while intrinsic stains occur within the inner tooth structure.

Common causes of extrinsic stains include:

• Food and Drinks: Beverages like coffee, tea, red wine and cola, as well as foods like blueberries, soy sauce and curry can deposit stains on enamel over time.
• Tobacco Use: Smoking or chewing tobacco products can rapidly yellow and stain teeth.
• Poor Oral Hygiene: Inadequate brushing and flossing allows plaque and stains to accumulate.

Intrinsic stains have a variety of potential causes:

• Medications: Antibiotic drugs like tetracycline can cause permanent grayish discoloration of developing teeth when taken during pregnancy or childhood.
• Fluoride: While beneficial in modest amounts, excessive fluoride consumption in childhood can cause fluorosis staining.
• Trauma: Injuries that damage the inner tooth pulp can cause a darkened tooth over time.
• Aging: Over the years, the outer enamel thins, exposing more of the yellowish dentin underneath.
• Genetics: Some people simply produce more pigmented enamel and dentin.

Preventing Tooth Staining

While it’s unrealistic to avoid all tooth staining, there are some effective prevention strategies I recommend to patients:

• Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing twice daily and flossing once a day
• Use whitening toothpaste and mouthwash occasionally to help remove stains
• Consume stain-causing foods/drinks in moderation and brush soon after consuming
• Drink dark beverages like coffee and tea through a straw to minimize direct contact with teeth
• Don’t smoke or use tobacco products which severely stain teeth over time
• Get routine dental cleanings every 6 months to remove built-up staining

Treatment Options for Stained Teeth

Even with good prevention, staining on teeth is still fairly common over time. Fortunately, there are a number of effective treatment options depending on the type and severity of the staining:

Teeth Whitening – This affordable and non-invasive treatment uses bleaching gels to lift away extrinsic stains and make teeth brighter. Take-home whitening kits from your dentist allow you to whiten at your convenience over a period of days or weeks. In-office whitening can whiten teeth by several shades in single visit.

Microabrasion – This procedure removes surface enamel stains and discoloration through chemical abrasion. It’s effective for superficial defects like fluorosis staining.

Veneers – These thin shells of porcelain are bonded to the front of teeth. Veneers can dramatically change the color of stained teeth as well as the shape. This is a permanent but pricey solution.

Dental Bonding – In this process, tooth-colored resin material is applied over stained teeth to conceal discoloration. More affordable than veneers but not as durable.

Crowns – In severe cases of intrinsic discoloration, a full dental crown may be needed to cap the tooth to change its color entirely.

Teeth Whitening Precautions

While whitening products are very popular and can produce excellent results, it’s important for patients to only use whitening products approved by their dentist. Over-the-counter whitening treatments from unknown sources can be ineffective or even damage tooth enamel and irritate gums. Professional whitening is always the safest bet.

Whitening isn’t recommended for patients with exposed root surfaces, very sensitive teeth, deep staining from certain medications/injuries, or dental restorations like crowns or veneers. I always do a consultation to determine if bleaching is suitable and to what extent based on your specific needs and concerns.

Don’t Let Stained Teeth Dull Your Smile

While staining is a very common issue, there’s no reason to feel self-conscious about your smile when there are so many affordable treatment options available today. If you’re unhappy with the color of your teeth, schedule a consultation so we can determine the right teeth whitening or stain removal approach for you.

With a little care and maintenance, it’s absolutely possible to maintain a bright, white smile well into adulthood. Having confidence in your smile can make a world of difference in your self-esteem and overall appearance!