What causes stains?

There are two types of teeth stains - intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic stains are deep within the structure of the tooth and cannot be corrected by cleaning alone. Extrinsic stains are on the surface of the tooth and can be removed by cleaning the surface.

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Intrinsic stains are caused by:

• Excessive fluoride – too much of a good thing is bad. Ingesting too much fluoride by drinking water with a high fluoride concentration, or using excessive amounts of toothpaste containing fluoride can lead to the development of chalky white spots on teeth. More severe cases may be yellow, grey or black.


• Medication – some antibiotics and over-the-counter medications can darken and stain teeth permanently. Common culprits are the antibiotic tetracycline, which causes teeth to turn yellow, brown, blue or black, and antihistamines.


• Dental damage and restorations – cavities are major causes of black or dark stains. Fillings may also show through thinner walls of the tooth and cause gaps and stains due to wear and tear. Other causes of tooth discolouration are injuries or damage to the teeth, the death of a tooth and the collection of blood products in root canals.


• Ageing and genes – as we age our tooth enamel gets thinner and the texture changes allowing the dentine layer, which is yellow and brown, to show through. Genes also play an important role in determining how white and thick the enamel on your teeth is.

Extrinsic stains are caused by:

• Diet – drinks and food with a high acid and sugar content can lead to staining of the teeth. Coffee and tea are the most common known causes, but other culprits are dark fruit juice, red wine, and cold drinks. Beer can also turn teeth yellow. Colourful foods such as cherries, blackberries, heavily spiced food, soy sauce and balsamic finger can also cause stains. Very hot or cold food and drink can affects tooth enamel, causing it to crack and allowing pigments to adhere to the surface of the tooth that could stain them.


• Smoking – nicotine stains smoker's teeth. Teeth may turn light brown to black. Chewing tobacco can also lead to staining.


• Poor oral hygiene – bad cleaning habits such as not brushing and flossing regularly can lead to bacterial build-up which can cause yellow and green stains on teeth, because stain-producing substances are not removed properly.

Treating stains
Extrinsic stains are easy to treat because they affect the surface of the teeth. Develop good oral hygiene habits by brushing and flossing your teeth regularly. Have your teeth cleaned professionally regularly. Consult a dentist to remove stains either by whitening, bleaching or micro-abrasion.

Intrinsic stains are harder to remove. It is best to consult a dentist to find out about treatment options available.

Keep your teeth stain-free

• brush and floss regularly


• stop smoking


• rinse your mouth with water after drinking coffee and tea or other beverages that cause stains


• use a straw when drinking fruit juice or cold drinks, this reduces exposure to staining


• regular visit to the dentist


• be careful of miracle teeth whiteners as they often do more harm than good

(Leandra Engelbrecht, Health24, March 2008)

Sources:
- Peoples-health. com
- Identalcare.com
- Colgate.com
- Aol.com
- Health.howstuffworks.com
- Betteroralhealth.info
- "Causes of tooth staining"- ezinearticle.com
 

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