Day in and day out we use our mouths to speak, laugh, smile, eat and drink, and our teeth are one of the first things people notice when we’re doing these things. We grow up learning to brush our teeth at least twice daily and floss once daily but to avoid tooth discoloration from teeth stains, know this just isn’t enough! Like everything, teeth begin to show wear and tear over time which leads to noticeable tooth discoloration. Depending on your habits, food and liquid consumption, and hereditary predisposition, your teeth stains are going to call you out on what’s up with your teeth unless you go the extra mile for a bright, healthy smile.
No matter who you are or what you do, you are going to face tooth discoloration. How dreamy would it be to have pearly whites like that cute little toddler chasing you around? Chances are this won’t be your natural fate but add teeth whitening into your regular routine and you’ll be quite the competition for that toddling babe.
Alright, let’s break things down so you understand what’s happening on the surface of the teeth you’ve worked so hard to keep in their most youthful condition. There are three types of stains: extrinsic, intrinsic and age-related. To fully understand what’s happening to your teeth, learning more about each type of stain will allow you better ability to combat tooth discoloration.
Extrinsic Teeth Stains
Life is exhausting—this so called ‘adulting’ thing is a lot of work. So, to get through the day maybe you rely on your favorite dark pigmented beverage that really cranks in the caffeine or one to calm you at the end of the day. These kinds of drinks may help simmer the flame of exhaustion and stress, but they’re fueling the fire of extrinsic teeth stains, along with some other choice habits.
What Causes Extrinsic Teeth Stains
A large contributor to extrinsic teeth stains are dark colored beverages. Coffee, tea, cola and red wine may be truly loved and enjoyed, but they are leaving behind pigmented particles that cause extrinsic teeth stains. The enamel is the outer surface of the tooth, which happens to be porous, so each time you take a sip, the liquid brushes by your teeth and leaves behind small, pigmented particles. These particles are too stubborn to be removed by only tooth brushing and flossing so maintaining additional dental care is essential for a bright smile.
Not only are beverages to blame for extrinsic teeth stains: tobacco is also a large contributor. If you’re someone who needs a cigarette to de-stress, or find chewing tobacco soothing, unfortunately these habits are contributing a large amount to your extrinsic teeth stains. Nicotine and tar in tobacco cause yellowing of the teeth and create extra plaque build-up, which can also lead to gum disease.
How to Combat Extrinsic Teeth Stains
Intrinsic Teeth Stains
What are Intrinsic Teeth Stains
Intrinsic teeth stains are just that: IN. These tough stains come from a few different sources and reside inside your teeth. Some particles that began as extrinsic stains may work their way through the porous enamel layer of the tooth to the inner dentin. Once on the inside, the stain becomes harder to remove.
What Causes Intrinsic Teeth Stains
Some causes of intrinsic teeth stains may be the result of total accident. An injury to the tooth where the root becomes damaged can cause discoloration on the inside of the tooth which is visible on the outside. Playing sports is a common arena for dental injury, especially contact sports, where your mouth may accidentally be hit by a flying ball or rogue elbow. Being aware of the dangers any sport, activity or hobby may have will help you have the knowledge to better protect every part of your body
Believe it or not, an unexpected source of intrinsic staining can result from a side effect of medication (tetracycline in children; high blood pressure medication, antipsychotics and antihistamine drugs). Another source can be from the overuse of fluoride. This mainly occurs in children so be sure to know if there’s fluoride added to your water, confirm with your child’s doctor the necessity of a fluoride tablet if one is being recommended and be aware if their toothpaste contains fluoride.
How to Combat Intrinsic Teeth Stains
Knowing that intrinsic teeth stains can be amplified by extrinsic teeth stains is a huge incentive to stay on top of extrinsic stain removal by your favorite dental hygienist (yes, it’s possible to have a favorite!) and commit to a tooth whitening regimen that includes a whitening toothpaste.
When you know you may place yourself at risk for dental injury, like sport playing, wear protective gear to help prevent a dental accident. A mouth guard will not only help prevent damage that could lead to intrinsic teeth staining, but it could prevent chipping or dislodging a tooth.
Unfortunately, intrinsic teeth stains are harder to remove than extrinsic teeth stains, and sometimes it’s hard to prevent discoloration by fate of an accident. Talking with your dentist and sticking with a suggested oral regimen will be your best bet for combating tough intrinsic teeth stains. Any measure to help prevent intrinsic teeth stains will be worth it in the long run.
Age-Related Teeth Stains
Getting older has some great perks, but may include some less-desirable wrinkles, reading glasses and tooth discoloration. How you maintain your oral health in your younger years will certainly impact the advancement of age-related teeth stains because you will have addressed extrinsic and intrinsic teeth stains, to the best of your ability, as they occurred. However, no matter the kindness you’ve given to your oral health, there's a high probability you will face some less desirable teeth stains as the years march on.
What are Age-Related Teeth Stains
Tooth enamel has been mentioned previously, but to reiterate, it is the external surface of the tooth, the protective layer, and chances are you have heard of it prior to reading this. Dentin, however, may sound less familiar but actually makes up the majority of your tooth, and lies in the center (above the third layer and final layer, the pulp). Dentin was mentioned above with relation to intrinsic staining and when those pesky pigmented particles make their way through the enamel, they settle into the dentin. This is all significant because as you age, your tooth enamel thins, allowing the dentin to become more visible. Over time, the dentin begins to yellow, naturally, so the thinning outer layer exposes age more than you may be able to control. Certainly, hereditary predisposition affects this, like the amount of natural yellowing and thickness and transparency of enamel; also, if you ever experienced dental injury, this discoloration may be more visible, too, as the tooth enamel changes.
How to Combat Age-Related Teeth Stains
The best way to help combat some of this fate is to stay on-top of extrinsic staining so the discoloration isn’t amplified by extrinsic AND intrinsic teeth stains. Also, remember to wear protective gear to help prevent dental injury when your mouth could be vulnerable to an accidental hit.
Visit your dentist regularly, every six months, and maintain quality dental hygiene at home that includes a whitening gel as part of your daily regimen.
Remember this: “You’re never fully dressed until you smile,” so you want to be comfortable and confident behind that smile. The best way to do that is to understand teeth staining (extrinsic, intrinsic and age-related) and properly take care of your smile. Everything is good in moderation, so “they” say, so if you’re going to enjoy a dark pigmented beverage or food, or partake in certain habits, follow up with a good dental routine that includes your preferred toothpaste and tooth whitening gel. See your dentist regularly, typically twice yearly, unless they’ve advised a more frequent schedule based on your oral needs. Finally, one last tip, reschedule your next routine dental visit while you’re there so you don’t forget how much time has passed in between cleanings and fall off schedule.
