Dental stains: Types and how to treat them

Stains on your teeth have you nervous about all the holiday gatherings and inevitable photos coming up? According to the team at Soddy Daisy Smiles, different types of stains are caused by and signal different issues, but there is an answer for each one.

“First, there are two main groups of stains when it comes to your teeth: surface and intrinsic,” said Dr. Mandy Shearer. “Naturally, how we treat each type is determined by the cause or trigger.”

Surface stains are, as the name simply says, on the surface or enamel of the teeth. They are most commonly caused by dark beverages like tea or coffee or accumulated food.

“The best way to rid yourself of these is regular brushing and flossing and making sure you’re enjoying in moderation,” said Dr. Robert Shearer. “Chewing gum after eating or drinking dark foods and drinks is also a good idea. This helps scrub away the bioflim that causes the discoloration and helps with saliva stimulation to wash away that bad bacteria.”

For intrinsic stains, those can be a bit more involved, but not impossible to mend. Again, as the name implies, these discolorations and stains are caused by something damaging from within the teeth or mouth.

“Trauma, injury, or exposure to certain types of antibiotics or medications can all cause the teeth to change color from the inside out,” Dr. Mandy said. “We first have to pinpoint the cause before we can advise on treatment to help.”

Teeth-whitening is often a good solution for many and offers a variety of products and methods to try. From bleaching to polishing, there’s usually something your dentist can recommend or do in-house.

“Polishing often just means using a teeth-whitening toothpaste that has a whitening agent in it to help that work to help scrub away really tough surface stains,” Dr. Robert explained.

The professional bleaching that your dentist provides is a quicker (and more impressive) fix than what you might achieve with drugstore whitening kits. However, while many love the idea of in-office whitening, it can seem like it’s out of reach cost-wise.

“It really isn’t expensive at our office,” Dr. Mandy said. “It’s less than $400 for an hour and a half professional whitening.”

The concentration of whitening ingredients used in the dental-office product is much higher (about 15 to 35 percent hydrogen peroxide) than the amount in the products at the local drugstore (about 3 to 10 percent hydrogen peroxide).

During an office treatment, the dentist applies a whitening gel to the teeth and may activate the bleaching process with a laser technology that is thought to penetrate teeth and create a deeper whitening effect (known as power bleaching).

Typically this process only takes one hour and can yield drastic results.

“If you can get a handle on things now, you’ll feel much more confident going into the holiday season,” Dr. Mandy said.

Another factor that many don’t think of regarding stains is aging. Just like another part of the body, the mouth and teeth experience wear over time and staining can be a part of that breakdown.

“The core tissue of your teeth naturally yellows over time, and the enamel becomes thinner, allowing that tissue to show through,” explained Dr. Robert. “It’s really important that seniors keep up with their daily dental hygiene routines to fight against this natural process of aging and stay on top of their regular dental visits, of course.”

Cigarettes and tobacco products can also create significant stains, in addition to other health problems. Practicing very rigorous dental hygiene including brushing and flossing has to be a part of the solution for those who use them, though eliminating them all together is really the best way to prevent staining as the bacteria from such products often builds up faster and creates darker discoloration.

For more information on teeth-whitening options or stains or how to get help with your dental concerns, call Soddy-Daisy Smiles at 423-332-5275 to schedule an appointment or visit soddydaisysmiles.com.