The Worst Culprits of Teeth Staining Revealed

The Worst Culprits of Teeth Staining Revealed

Maintaining your pearly whites so they actually stay white is a tricky task for some. Most of the time it’s down to poor habits like not brushing your teeth every day (you monster). However, there are several other culprits that play a huge part in turning your previously white teeth into the sort of yellowy gnashers we normally associate with the grainy image of previous generations.

Anyway, we’ve compiled a neat list of the things to watch out for when you find yourself becoming aware that your teeth might be starting to turn a less than pleasant shade. 

Poor Oral Hygiene

Ok, so let’s just get the obvious one out of the way, shall we? Not brushing your teeth, or flossing is going to lead to some consequences. In fact, if you’re not brushing your teeth then the fact that they’ve gone yellow shouldn’t really come as a surprise nor will it arguably be your only problem. Not brushing your teeth means more plaque and tartar build-up on your teeth, this leads to discolouration among other things such as cavity formation, bad breath and swollen or inflamed gums. 

In short – brush your teeth at least morning and night. 

Smoking

Here’s another cause of discolouration that many don’t seem to be especially aware of – Smoking! Yes, smoking causes discolouration and can cause a host of other health problems along the way as well. This is caused by the nicotine and tar that’s found in tobacco, both of which have heavy pigmentation properties, particularly when activated by the process of smoking a cigarette. 

The Morning Cuppa

First things first with this one, there are actually a lot of different foods that can stain your teeth, however, we’re just going to list the absolute biggest culprits that are part of everyone’s daily schedule. Tea and Coffee both have properties that cause them to be pretty efficient at staining. In fact, both coffee and certain types of tea are frequently used as pigments for other products, so you can imagine what they actually do to your teeth when given enough time. 

Medication

There’s a surprisingly high amount of over-the-counter medication that can really do damage to your teeth if you haven’t properly thought its usage through. For example: 

• Certain types of antibiotics that contain tetracycline can be harmful to children’s teeth
• Exposing your teeth to excessive amounts of fluoride over a long period of time, such as using a combination of fluoride tablets with fluoridated products (toothpaste, mouth rinse, and even water)
• Most forms of chemotherapy can have adverse effects on teeth 

Mixing of medications and the possible adverse effects of these can affect your teeth, make sure you consult your GP and dentist first before stopping or starting any course. 

Ageing

Yep, even father time has a hand to play in all of this. Our teeth naturally get darker when we age, meaning we have to work harder to keep them white. Most of this comes down to the enamels in your teeth continuing to wear down as time goes on, leading to the dentin underneath showing through.

Treatment

Most the time, the discolouration on your teeth can be treated by undergoing a professional clean, professional whitening, or cosmetic procedures. Anything that goes deeper than a professional clean can mean you may require further treatment. So, you should probably see your Collingwood Parks emergency dentist ASAP to see what your options are.