19. April 2019

Types Of Teeth Stains And How Teeth Whitening Eliminates Them

Teeth Whitening Saves You From Unwanted Dental Stains

Teeth discoloration is one of the common dental problems patients have. It has many causes and some may easily be treated with teeth whitening. Having said this, some teeth stains might not be removed with simple dental procedures. To understand more, you have to know about the types of dental stains first.

Types of teeth discoloration

  1. Extrinsic

Extrinsic discoloration happens when stains from food or tobacco remain on your teeth. Suffice to say, this type leaves marks on the surface of the teeth. It usually creates the grimy or spotted appearance that’s very noticeable when you smile.

 

Laser teeth whitening could simply break up the hardened blemishes. Fortunately, this high-end technology has the ability to detect the stains and permanently remove them. Aside from this, whitening toothpaste, strips, and other similar products are effective for this stain type.

 

Just make sure that after enjoying your morning coffee or tea, you clean your teeth. Might as well be moderate with smoking or just quit the habit for good.  

  1. Intrinsic

Unknown to many, there is what dentistry calls an intrinsic discoloration. It’s simply the opposite of extrinsic stains as they appear within the teeth and not the other way around. These aren’t simple cases of teeth blemishes because these involves medication side effects and physical trauma.

 

Teeth whitening home techniques do not give a guarantee in totally removing the discoloration. Nevertheless, your dentist would be able to help you in getting rid of it with a professional teeth bleaching process.

 

Other causes of intrinsic stains come from infection, disease and illness acquired from childhood, and aging.

Types of teeth discoloration

If you have this specific stain color on your teeth, here is what it means:

  • Yellow-brown or dark brown

Sometimes appearing yellowish, this type of dark appearance on your teeth reveals that you are a habitual tea or coffee drinker. Aside from that, you could also have this when you’re fond of drinking soda and red wine.

 

These mentioned liquids have high coloring properties and effortlessly leave a mark on your teeth without aftercare. Although laser teeth whitening is an immediate solution, the same issue returns if you don’t improve your oral hygiene. Most of all, smoking tobacco and cigarettes are really harmful to both your general and oral health.

  • Green

Green stains usually appear on kids’ teeth as a sign of poor oral hygiene. It might also be a symptom of a disease in the blood. This type of intrinsic discoloration is noticeable on the front teeth.

  • Orange

A dark or fading orange color near the gum lines is another type of intrinsic stains caused by chromogenic bacteria from food buildup. It could be a symptom to a developing gum disease so teeth whitening might not be the only treatment for this.

  • Bluish

The bluish shade on your teeth is an indication of medication exposure. Patients who are having maintenance pills might have this.

 

Furthermore, if you’re noticing a dark blue tooth formation, it might be telling you that your tooth is dying. Bleaching your tooth might no longer serve its purpose as you need to have it treated or extracted.

  • Black

This is also a sign of exposure to medication especially from an iron supplement. This intrinsic stain could easily be treated with laser teeth whitening and thorough dental aftercare.

  • White spots

Most teeth do not appear naturally white. So if you’re exposed to too much fluoride, this shows as white spots and it’s intrinsic. Teeth bleaching could help balance the shade of your teeth and lessen the visibility of the spots.


The New Hamburg teeth whitening treatment ensures that you get the proper care for your dental needs.

 

 

You’ve always wanted to undergo a teeth whitening procedure, however, your dentist tells you to have teeth bleaching instead. You’re becoming confused why you’re hearing two terms when they seem to have the same effect on your teeth. The truth is, there’s a distinctive gap between whitening and bleaching your teeth. They are both cosmetic dental treatments, however, one is  non-invasive and an affordable way to enhance your teeth’s color. There’s also laser teeth whitening that improves the shade of your teeth up to six times in less than an hour. Understanding both procedures will enlighten you in choosing the right treatment for your dental case.

Understanding teeth whitening and bleaching

The word "bleaching" refers to brightening your teeth that’s beyond their natural colour and shade. This refers to products that contain bleaching solution such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. However, these need laser light in order to activate the bleaching process on the teeth. At Creative Dentistry, you can set a same day appointment for in-office teeth bleaching, or opt for take home-bleaching kits.

 

Meanwhile, teeth whitening means removing dirt, stains and debris to restore the colour of the teeth's surface. This means that any product that you use to clean your teeth, like toothpaste, is considered a whitener. Surprisingly, there are ingredients found in your kitchen that you can use to naturally whiten your teeth. Examples of these are baking soda, apple cider vinegar, strawberries, apples, celery, and pineapples.  

 

Suffice to say, in-office, at-home whitening kits and natural ingredients are effective ways to brighten your smile. The duration for you to achieve the desired result is one big factor in choosing or following the right treatment. More importantly, you have to determine what causes teeth stains so you’re confident that you’re doing the right approach to resolve it.

What causes teeth stains?

Age

There is a direct correlation of your tooth colour to your age. Over the years, your teeth will darken as a result of wear and tear, as well as stain accumulation. When a patient decides to have laser teeth whitening during his adolescent stage, the result will be drastic. This is because their permanent teeth have just erupted and there’s no accumulation of stains yet.

Initial tooth colour

Genetically, the shade of your teeth ranges from yellow-brownish to greenish-grey. However, this initial shade intensifies over the years. Yellow-brown are generally more responsive to whitening than a tooth with a green-grey shade.

Thickness and translucency

Your teeth's translucency and thickness becomes more pronounced as you age. While all teeth show some translucency, those that are opaque and thick benefit more with teeth whitening. This is because they appear lighter in colour, show more sparkle and are very responsive to the treatment.

 

If your teeth are thin and more transparent, this may indicate that it has less of the pigment necessary for bleaching. The transparency of the tooth is more prominent with most patient's front teeth. According to most cosmetic dentists, the transparency of the tooth is the only condition that cannot be corrected with any form of whitening procedure.

Smoking

The habit of smoking is dangerous to your overall health. Aside from its negative effects to your health, cigarettes also contain nicotine which leaves brownish deposits on your teeth. This leads to a deep teeth discolouration.


Knowing these common causes of tooth discolouration will encourage you to avoid habits that may lead to teeth stains. While laser teeth whitening is an optimal solution to brighten your smile instantly, prevention is always a better option. In some cases, severe tooth discolouration may not be reversible. However, there’s no need to despair as other dental treatments such as veneers and dental crowns are available to restore your smile. Visit Creative Dentistry to know more about teeth whitening in London, Ontario.