Everyone wants a beautiful smile. The easiest way to brighten a picture or make yourself more attractive in an interview or date is a dazzling smile. The problem is, many smiles aren’t as dazzling as they could be because of tooth discoloration. It’s a natural part of aging and something we all have to face, but some habits we have speed it up and we can certainly do some things to slow it down or even reverse it.
There’s a lot that goes into what causes teeth to stain.
There’s extrinsic staining, intrinsic staining, and age-related staining. Depending on what you have, there are ways to combat it or reverse it. There are foods and habits known to hasten it, however, there are whitening procedures, and natural habits you can implement to make sure you keep staining at bay.
Below is a quick hit guide on tooth staining that can help you as you try to wrangle in your naturally lovely smile from the jaws of natural staining.
Foods That Cause It
Foods that can cause staining are the usual suspects you hear about: coffee, tea, and red wine are among the most common culprits when it comes to stains. Smoking and drinking cola soda excessively are also common causes. This becomes a bigger problem if you also consume foods high in acidity which weakens the enamel. This causes extrinsic staining on the teeth. This is the most common type of staining and the one easiest to resolve with dentist or at-home treatments.
Preventive Measures
There are some ways you can combat the process of staining. Drinking tea or coffee with milk helps make it less severe on the teeth. Drinking iced tea or iced coffee or any acidic drink through a straw is also a good measure. High fiber foods and sugarless gum also helps to neutralize the acid levels in the mouth.
Reversal
If you already have extrinsic staining occuring, there are at-home and in-office remedies. There are professional bleaching procedures at your local dental office as well as take home kits with mouth trays or adhesive strips. Another option is tooth whitening toothpaste. All this should be used in moderation, however, since peroxide is corrosive on the enamel of the teeth.
Related Questions
What Do I Do About Intrinsic Whitening?
Intrinsic staining is much harder to deal with and, unfortunately, can’t fully be erased. Intrinsic staining means the internal dentin of the tooth has been discolored. Likely due to the development of the tooth, traumatic injuries to the mouth, exposure to certain antibiotics, or even excessive tooth grinding. The underlying cause of intrinsic staining is going to dictate how to move forward with fixing it.
Is There Staining That’s Permanent?
Unfortunately, yes. Yellowing of teeth caused by celiac disease or tooth decay cannot be reversed. There are ways a dental professional may be able to hide the discoloration for cosmetic purposes, but the discoloration and its underlying cause cannot be mitigated.
Stained or yellowing teeth is frustrating and can put a damper on your smile, but it doesn’t have to. Monitor your habits and know what you can do based on the underlying causes. Start by talking to your dentist.
Sedki Dentistry in Commerce MI offers many options for whitening your teeth. Our dental practice is equipped with the latest technology in teeth whitening services that will brighten your smile safely and effectively. Dr. Sedki offers both take home and in-office teeth whitening solutions. As a full-service dental clinic, we offer a variety of dental treatments and cosmetic dentistry procedures that meet all of your dental health concerns. Call today for a Free Dental consult!