A white, healthy smile is on almost everyone’s wish list. Your teeth can darken for various reasons, and this is called tooth discoloration. Some are beyond our control, such as age or childhood accidents that can disrupt the development of our tooth enamel. Let us know more about tooth discoloration!
Causes of Tooth Discoloration – Dentists in Matunga
A white, healthy smile is on almost everyone’s wish list. Your teeth can darken for a variety of reasons. Some are beyond our control, such as age or childhood accidents that can disrupt the development of our tooth enamel.
Tooth stains caused by bad habits:
- Coffee, tea, colas, wines, and some starchy foods such as pasta or potatoes can contribute to staining.
- Tobacco use: Smoking or chewing tobacco can cause tooth stains.
Tooth stains caused by poor dental hygiene:
- Poor dental hygiene is one of the reasons. Failure to brush and floss your teeth can lead to the accumulation of plaque and food stains. Skipping professional dental cleanings can also lead to the formation of colors.
- Diseases that interfere with the normal development of tooth enamel (the white exterior of your teeth) and dentin (the more porous “yellow” core beneath the enamel) can cause tooth discoloration. Some medical treatments, such as head and neck radiation and chemotherapy, can discolor teeth. Some infections in pregnant women can affect your baby’s enamel development and discolor their teeth.
- Aging causes the outer layer of enamel on your teeth to wear away, exposing the yellow dentin beneath. Your tooth dentin also grows with age, reducing the size of the pulp. The tooth’s translucency decreases, making it appear darker.
- In addition, Medications. It has long been known that certain drugs discolor children’s teeth. Tetracycline and doxycycline antibiotics can have an effect on enamel formation in children under the age of eight. Chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride-containing mouth rinses and washes can also stain teeth. Antihistamines (such as Benadryl®), antipsychotic medications, and antihypertensive drugs can all cause tooth discoloration.
- Dental materials also. Some amalgam restorations, particularly those containing silver sulfide, can give your teeth a gray-black cast. Thicker and whiter enamel is inherited in some families.
- Fluorosis can be caused by too much fluoride during tooth formation, either from environmental sources (high fluoride levels in water) or from excessive use (fluoride applications, rinses, toothpaste).
- Trauma too can be an addition. Children can be hit in the mouth during sports. If they are under eight, the damage can disrupt enamel formation. Trauma can also discolor adult teeth when a sports injury or other impact causes blood flow to the tooth to decrease or the nerve to die.
Treatment – Dentists in Matunga
Treatment options vary, and not everyone is a good candidate for every method of whitening. The type of stain you have determines how many shades lighter your teeth will be when they are whitened. Keep in mind that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve whitening products, so consult with your dentist before using any whitener.
It’s also important to understand that dental restorations, such as bonding, veneers, crowns, bridges, dentures, or implants, cannot be whitened because they’re made of man-made materials, most commonly porcelain. Only natural enamel teeth can be whitened, and only if the cause is reversible, according to your dentist.
Your dentist may recommend one or more of the following treatments, depending on the cause of the discoloration. You can visit the dentists in Matunga now!
Whitening at home:
- Avoiding staining foods and beverages. Our habits can contribute to tooth staining.
- Using over-the-counter whiteners in the form of stick-on strips or tooth-shaped trays.
- Cleaning your teeth on a daily basis with proper brushing and flossing techniques. (Although you should be practicing good dental hygiene anyway, stepping up your game can improve the appearance of your teeth if your habits aren’t what they should be.) You can visit Dentists in Matunga to get an overall
Professional bleaching:
- Professional whitening is done in-office by a dentist who employs professional whitening products and procedures to accelerate the whitening process. A hydrogen peroxide solution will be applied by your dentist. To accelerate the bleaching process, some products may require heat and a special light. Other professionally available products will contain a higher concentration of whitener, sometimes with desensitizer, and some type of custom tray for improved whitener adhesion. In the hands of a skilled dentist, the procedure is risk-free.
- A dental bonding procedure involves your dentist applying a white resin to your tooth and hardening it with a special curing light. The light ‘bonds’ the resin to the tooth, improving its color and structure.
- Dental crowns are used to protect, cover, and restore damaged teeth, as well as to whiten your teeth. Your dentist can match the color of a crown to the color of your other teeth.
- Dental veneers are porcelain shells that are custom-made to cover the front of the tooth and improve the color and shape of your smile. They’re small and delicate, about the size and thickness of a false fingernail. If you opt for veneers, your dentist will advise you to avoid biting into hard foods with your front teeth in order to avoid breakage.
DIY Treatments to Try
These are some of the homemade treatments you can try –
- Prior to going to bed, and again when you wake up, spend two minutes brushing your teeth.
- To be safe, choose the proper paste. The American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance should be present on whitening toothpaste. It is therefore dentist-endorsed.
- Every day, floss between your teeth.
- Avoid foods and beverages like cola, coffee, tea, and red wine that can stain your teeth.
- To avoid discoloring your front teeth when drinking liquids, always have a clean, reusable straw on hand.
- After consuming acidic or potentially staining beverages, such as juice, lemonade, coffee, or red wine, drink water and rinse your mouth.
- To avoid tobacco stains, stop smoking.
Preventions
Developing healthy habits is the key to taking care of your teeth. You might be able to stop tooth discoloration with just a few straightforward lifestyle adjustments. If you consume a lot of coffee, you might want to reduce your intake or find a different beverage. And if you smoke, get help to stop because smoking has negative effects on a lot more than just your oral health.
Brushing, flossing and regular dental checkups and cleanings every six months will help you up your dental hygiene game. Make an appointment to see your dentist if other symptoms are present and your teeth appear to be an abnormal color that persists despite your best efforts to maintain good oral hygiene. Visit dentists in Matunga Now!