What Causes Tooth Stains and How Do You Get Rid of Them?

An estimated two-thirds of Australian adults don’t feel confident about their smiles, and about 27% of them cite tooth discolouration as the cause. Are you one of those people?

Tooth stains are common, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. That said, there’s also nothing wrong with wanting a bright and white smile to show off.

We’re here to talk about some of the most common causes of tooth discolouration and the steps that you can take to fix it. Read on to learn more.

Common Causes of Tooth Stains

So where are those pesky tooth stains coming from anyway? It’s important to note that natural teeth aren’t pearly white. If your teeth are slightly off-white, that’s normal and they’re still healthy.

But what if there’s significant discolouration, or even mild discolouration, that you’ve noticed getting worse over time? Here are a few potential causes.

Oral Care

You can have perfectly healthy teeth and still have tooth discolouration. That said, there are still a few ways that your oral health can impact the colour of your teeth.

If you aren’t regularly brushing your teeth, you’re more likely to experience stains (especially if you combine poor oral care with the lifestyle causes we’ll mention next).

Teeth with significant decay will form dark spots that are difficult, if not impossible, to remove.

Lifestyle

There are some lifestyle factors that can cause stains on teeth.

First, if you’re a smoker (or if you use chewing tobacco), know that this is going to cause tooth stains in the future if it isn’t already. We recommend dropping the habit.

There are also foods and drinks that stain teeth. Foods that stain teeth even include healthy foods, like berries and tomato sauce. Drinks that stain teeth include (but aren’t limited to) wine, coffee, and tea.

Take note of common staining foods and drinks and adjust your diet if you want to avoid stains. You should also rinse your mouth with water after consuming staining foods or drinks.

Medical Causes

There are some medical factors that can impact the colour of your teeth.

Certain diseases and medical treatments may give you the appearance of stained teeth. Chemotherapy, radiation, and even some mental health medications can alter the colour of your teeth. The use of a drug called Tetracycline, an antibiotic, can cause deep seated discolouration of the teeth which does not respond well to surface whitening and would require veneers to achieve a good cosmetic outcome.

In this case, remember that your health is more important than whether or not you have teeth stains.

How to Remove Stains on Teeth

So you have stains on your teeth. Now what?

When it comes to mild stains and discolouration, start by being more diligent with your brushing.You may want to consider a mild whitening toothpaste but be very careful, as some of these kinds of toothpaste are too abrasive for long-term use.

Try to avoid staining foods, drinks, and tobacco products. When you combine this with better brushing habits, you’ll notice a change in the colour of your teeth.

Make sure you visit your trusted Bondi dentist twice per year. Ask them about teeth whitening services so you can get a superstar smile. For significant stains, you may even want to ask about veneers.

Make Your Teeth Pearly White

Tooth stains are annoying, but in most cases, they’re treatable! Locate the cause of the tooth stains and talk to your dentist about professional cleaning and whitening services.

You’ll be flashing a pearly white smile in no time.

Are you ready to make an appointment? We want to meet you! Contact us to book an appointment today.