Having bright, white teeth is a popular trend in dentistry and something that we get asked about very often. There are many ways that we can prevent staining and to also remove it.
When discussing staining in teeth and the best ways to treat it, we first need to determine the cause of the staining. If the stains are intrinsic, procedures like resin infiltration, dental bonding or crowns/veneers might be helpful. Whitening procedures are indicated for extrinsic staining, which are more superficial.
Tooth stains caused by lifestyle habits:
Foods/drinks: Coffee, tea, colas, wines, and some starchy foods such as pasta or potatoes, can create conditions that cause staining.
Tobacco use: Smoking or chewing tobacco can stain teeth.
Tooth stains caused by dental health:
Poor dental hygiene: Forgetting to brush and floss your teeth can cause plaque and food stains to build up. Skipping professional dental cleanings can also allow stains to start.
Disease: Diseases that prevent normal development of tooth enamel (the white exterior of your teeth) and dentin (the more porous “yellower” core under enamel) can lead to tooth discoloration. Some infections in pregnant mothers can affect enamel development in your baby and discolor their teeth.
Medications: Certain antibiotics such as tetracycline when taken by children under the age of 8, can lead to intrinsic staining in the teeth while they are developing. Long term use of mouth rinses containing chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride can also stain teeth.
Dental materials: Some materials such as silver amalgam fillings can give a gray-black shade to your teeth.
Aging: As you age, the outer layer of enamel on your teeth gets worn away exposing the yellow dentin. Your tooth dentin also grows as you age, which decreases the size of the pulp. The translucency of the tooth reduces, making it look darker.
Genetics: Thicker and whiter enamel runs in some families.
Environment: Excessive fluoride exposure can lead to white spots on teeth
Trauma: Dental trauma can discolor teeth when a sports injury or other impact causes blood flow to decrease to the tooth or the nerve to die.
Techniques to reduce staining and have whiter teeth:
Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day - after you wake up and before going to sleep.
Floss your teeth at least once a day.
Limit food and drinks that stain teeth, such as soft drinks, coffee, tea and red wine.
Rinse your mouth with water after drinks that contain acid and/or may stain. Drinking with a straw can also reduce risk of staining.
Quit smoking as tobacco can lead to tenacious staining on teeth.
Our office offers a variety of products and services for teeth whitening:
White strips: our medical-grade strips (contact us to get) should be applied as prescribed after brushing and flossing. Some patients do find an increase in sensitivity.
Whitening gel: the gel we recommend works great for patients worried about sensitivity. It can be applied on your teeth a few times a day. We have found this to be the most cost-effective solution to have whiter teeth. Contact us for this gel at our Vancouver office.
Bleaching gel: These gels have a higher percentage of peroxide. To use them, we must first make a bleaching tray custom fitted to your teeth. Contact us for this bleaching gel.
In-office bleaching: This is the best way to get instant results. We place a protective layer on your gums before applying the bleaching gel. Appointments can take 1-2 hours depending on the product used. To maintain the results, it may need to be redone every 1-2 years. Contact us to book.
We look forward to helping you out with any teeth whitening questions or other cosmetic or family dentistry questions you have. We are a family (brother and sister!) dental family office on West Broadway in Vancouver at Macdonald and enjoy helping people achieve their goals with regard to healthy, white teeth and optimal health.
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