How And Why Do Teeth Discolour?

As our teeth start to stain and discolour, we can become very self conscious. Read this post to understand the causes and what you could do to prevent it worsening.

Intrinsic Staining

Intrinsic staining is discolouration that is incorporated into a tooth, either whilst it is developing or after it has erupted. The success of tooth whitening depends largely on the type of staining.

Fluorosis

Some of the main causes of intrinsic staining are excessive fluoride intake over the period that the tooth develops. The resulting fluorosis presents itself as either white and chalky enamel or brown staining. Bleaching can be used in most cases to reduce the contrast of the enamel and improve the appearance.

Antibiotics

Another major cause of intrinsic staining is the use of certain antibiotics, including tetracycline and minocycline. These cause a blue-grey banding on the teeth. The severity of staining will depend on the type and the duration of use. Prolonged whitening is usually required in these cases.

Trauma

The most common cause of intrinsic staining is trauma which can make the tooth turn black. This type of staining responds well to prolonged whitening.

Family History

Other common causes of intrinsic staining are hereditary. Imperfections in the formation of the enamel or dentine can cause discolouration. Diseases like amelogenesis and dentinogenesis are examples of hereditary diseases that cause intrinsic staining.

Age

Age also causes intrinsic discolouration due to the change in the physical composition of the teeth. Overtime, layers of enamel are lost, exposing the darker underlying dentine.

Extrinsic Staining

Extrinsic staining is far more common. It only affects the surface of the teeth. It is mostly caused by the interaction of food and drink pigments with plaque that covers the enamel. This can easily be removed by dental polishing. When this type of staining moves past the cracks in the teeth, it can’t be removed by tooth-brushing. In this case, whitening is required.

If you are interested in whitening please click here for more information or call us on 01723 670500.