Stained & Discoloured Teeth

Teeth become stained or discoloured generally because of the following:

• External: These stains are often superficial, and commonly caused by highly pigmented food, drinks or tobacco smokes. Treatments for external staining include air polishing, microabrasion techniques and whitening with peroxide. Avoiding heavy consumption of heavy staining food, drinks or smoking will also reduce the stain build up.
• Internal: This is when the inner part of the tooth, called dentine, has a darker shade. Dark dentine could come from leaky amalgam restorations, post root canal treatment, overexposure to fluoride, antibiotic use in infancy, trauma to teeth or rare genetic conditions such as dentinogenesis imperfecta. Treatments for internal staining of teeth are often a combination of bleaching and cosmetic coverage such as dental veneers and crowns.
• Age-related: This is a combination of the external and internal factors. As teeth age, the enamel thins out, allowing the yellow dentine to show through more easily. On top of this, years of food consumption, drinks and tobacco can add to the gradual discolouration of teeth.

Luckily, there are a number of treatment choices for stained teeth. Good dental hygiene routine, including twice-daily toothbrushing and daily flossing, will keep your teeth safe and look fantastic. Limiting your consumption of teeth-staining food and beverages can help slow down the stain build up. Regular dental whitening treatments will help keep them looking whiter and brighter.

For teeth that discolour due to ageing, treatments may be more complex. To restore your aging teeth to its previous state of glam, full-mouth rehabilitation is often required.

Over time, teeth will continue to discolour and become more yellow. This may potentially affect your confidence and how you socialise. Give our team at Elwood Family Dentist a call so we can help find the right solution for you that fits your budget and give you that pearly white smile you always wanted!