Have you noticed that your teeth are changing color over the years? It’s normal and expected to have tooth discoloration due to aging and lifestyle. As a result, many people are looking for solutions to remove stains from teeth.
Rest assured, knowing there are things you can do right now to brighten your smile and reduce the appearance of stains. At the same time, a few lifestyle adjustments can go a long way to prevent these stains from returning.
Why Are My Teeth Stained?
Even though everyone wants a pearly-white smile that lasts a lifetime, lifestyle factors can often cause tooth discoloration. Understanding these causes of tooth staining is important to choosing the right types of treatments to brighten your smile. For example, strategies to remove coffee stains from teeth are different compared to addressing tooth staining that happens from the use of certain prescription medications.
These are some of the most common causes of tooth staining:
- Drinks: Common drinks can take a toll on the teeth and affect overall color. The biggest offenders are cola, wine, tea, and coffee.
- Food: If a food is brightly colored, it could potentially impact the color of your teeth.
- Tobacco: Chewing tobacco and smoking are both habits that can stain the teeth.
- Genetics: Some people have teeth that are naturally whiter compared to other people.
- Environment: Certain elements in the environment can affect the appearance of the tooth. For example, excessive fluoride can cause tooth stains and discolorations.
- Dental Habits: If you skip flossing and brushing, it means that stain-causing substances stay on the surface of your teeth for a longer time.
- Health Complications: Certain diseases can contribute to stained teeth. For example, these conditions affect tooth enamel (the hard surface on the outside of the teeth), causing discoloration.
- Medications: Some medications have side effects that impact the appearance of the teeth, including certain types of antibiotics – especially when these medications are given to young children.
- Aging: The risk of tooth discoloration increases with age. As you get older, the enable starts to wear away, and the underlying color of the dentin is exposed.
Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Tooth Stains
One important factor to consider when you want to remove stains from teeth is whether the stains are intrinsic or extrinsic:
- Extrinsic Tooth Discoloration: These stains are occurring because of external sources, such as tobacco, drinks, food, and more. It’s an outside-in stain occurring, and most teeth whitening methods can help remove stains from teeth.
- Intrinsic Stains: On the other hand, intrinsic stains happen from the inside out, such as aging, genetics, diseases, or medications. Since the stains originate within the tooth, teeth cleaning isn’t as effective to remove these stains. More advanced treatments will be necessary to achieve the results that you desire.
Removing Tobacco and Smoking Stains from Teeth
If you want to remove tobacco stains from teeth quickly, then talk to a dentist about in-office treatments in order to get the fastest results. Over-the-counter products can help, but the results are typically slower and less noticeable.
Tobacco stains can be stubborn, especially if you have smoked for a long time. So, you might be feeling self-conscious about the overall appearance of your teeth. The good news is that there are treatments that work when you want to remove smoking stains from your teeth.
Keep in mind that you can use these teeth-whitening treatments right now. But you also need to change your habits to prevent the stains from coming back. You can achieve the brightness you desire right now, but these results will quickly disappear if you are still smoking or using tobacco. So, consider quitting to not only protect your teeth but also protect your health in general since there are many negative health consequences related to smoking.
At-Home vs. In-Office Tooth Whitening
What is the best way to remove stains from teeth? If you go to the grocery store or a local drugstore, you can find many available DIY tooth-whitening products. Additionally, there are countless DIY remedy recommendations you can find online.
You might notice a difference over time if you are proactive with these at-home tooth-whitening products, such as whitening toothpaste, whitening strips, mouthwash, and more. However, the ingredients are diluted since they are over-the-counter products.
The fastest and most effective solution for teeth whitening is to schedule an appointment with your dentist. For example, you might book whitening services when you go in for your general checkup and cleaning. Not only will you notice an immediate difference from in-office teeth whitening, but you don’t have to deal with the time and hassle of many at-home treatments.
Protect the Quality of Your Teeth
Be cautious about the types of teeth-whitening products you choose because certain ingredients can affect the quality of your teeth. For example, your enamel can be damaged, making your teeth weaker and more sensitive.
Using at-home teeth whitening products improperly increases the risk of damaging your teeth. So, always follow the instructions if you choose to use these things. One strategy is to use these products at home as part of your daily brushing routine to maintain the results of professional teeth whitening for a longer period of time.
You can rest assured that your smile is protected when investing in professional teeth whitening services. Our office has invested in the best technology and products to deliver quality results while also protecting your smile at the same time.
Teeth Whitening and Other Cosmetic Treatments
In addition to in-office teeth whitening, consider talking to our team about other available cosmetic services. We offer full-service solutions to help you create and maintain a smile you love. All you have to do is schedule a consultation with our team at Cosmetic & Family Dentistry of Las Colinas. Or talk to us about your cosmetic dental goals when you come in for your checkup and examination. Contact us when you are ready to book an appointment.
