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What Are The Causes Of Tooth Discoloration?

March 17, 2021
Teeth Whitening

There are several things that can make your teeth lose their luminosity. Tooth discoloration turns your pearly whites to various colors, or develops spots in certain places.

Causes

  • Foods/drinks. Coffee, tea, colas, wines, tomato sauces, soy sauce, colored chocolates or popsicles are known villains of teeth staining. Even fruits and vegetables like apples, berries and potatoes which stain your teeth enamel when you take them excessively.

However, we do not recommend you to stop eating these foods entirely. Just be aware and consume in moderation. And make sure that your rinse/brush your teeth after meals.

  • Tobacco .Smoking or chewing tobacco can stain your teeth.
  • Poor dental hygiene. When you do not brush, floss, and rinse properly to remove plaque and stain-producing substances, it causes discoloration. Whenever you skip professional dental cleanings, you allow stains to start.
  • Disease.  Conditions like metabolic diseases, calcium deficiency, liver disease, rickets, eating disorders, and celiac disease impact the tooth enamel and can change the tooth color. Neck radiation and chemotherapy can also cause teeth discoloration.
  • Medications. The antibiotics tetracycline and doxycycline  stain teeth when given to kids whose teeth are still developing. Antipsychotic drugs and drugs for high blood pressure also cause teeth stains.

Certain mouth rinses and washes containing chlorhexidine and acetyl pyridinium chloride can also stain teeth.

  • Dental materials. Some of the materials used in dentistry, like amalgam restorations, can leave a gray-black color to teeth.
  • Aging. As you age, the outer layer of enamel wears away. This exposes the normal color of dentin.
  • Genetics. At times, simply your heredity is solely responsible for your teeth color!
  • Environment. Excessive fluoride from water, fluoride rinses, toothpaste or even fluoride supplements can cause teeth discoloration.
  • Trauma. Damage from a fall can interrupt enamel formation in kids whose teeth are still developing. Trauma also causes discoloration to adult teeth.

Tooth discoloration types

  • Yellow: As you age, the white enamel surface of your teeth may start to wear down. The yellow core of your teeth turns more visible.
  • Brown: Tobacco, dark beverages and poor brushing habits results in tooth decay and may make teeth brown.
  • White: As young teeth develop, excess fluoride can cause white spots. 
  • Black: Tooth or tooth pulp necrosis may change your teeth to grayish or black. Fillings and crowns that contain silver sulfide also make teeth black. Chewing betel nuts is also a cause. Exposure to minerals such as iron, manganese, or silver in an industrial environment or from any supplements may result in black line on your teeth.
  • Purple: Red wine can stain your teeth making it purplish.

Treatments

Treatment options can vary as it depends on the cause of the discoloration. This may include:

  • Using over-the-counter whitening agents obviously with dentist’s recommendation. 
  • In-home whitening kit bought from your dentist or in-office whitening.
  • Bonding
  • Veneers.

Now, if you’re in the search of a ‘Dentist near mein Avenel, NJ, for your teeth whitening or other quality dental work then Visit us at NJ Smiles Dental. Our Avenel Dentist will definitely render you the treatment you require.