What Causes Tooth Discoloration?

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Discolored teeth can make you feel self-conscious and reluctant to smile. The good news is that cosmetic dentistry can give you the bright, healthy smile you always wanted. While not all tooth discoloration is preventable, some lifestyle changes can lower your risk factors.

Foods and Beverages

Certain foods and beverages can contribute to tooth discoloration. This discoloration affects only the tooth enamel and not the inside of the tooth. Common culprits include:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Red wine
• Red sauces
• Blueberries, blackberries, and similar dark fruits.

Remember, any food or beverage that can stain your clothes can have the same effect on your teeth.

Tobacco

Tobacco users often realize the product is staining their teeth. This involves not only cigarettes but also chewing tobacco— it results in yellowing of the teeth and possible brown stains.

 Childhood Antibiotic Use

If your teeth were discolored even as a child, you were likely prescribed tetracycline antibiotics. Another possibility is that your mother was prescribed this antibiotic for an infection while pregnant.

Health Issues and Medications

Certain medications for high blood pressure and various types of antibiotics have a side effect many doctors fail to warn patients about– discolored teeth.  These include tetracycline and doxycycline, prescribed to treat acne and other conditions.

In addition, long-term antihistamine use by allergy sufferers can lead to discolored teeth. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation on the head and neck may find their teeth have changed color.

Genetics

Your eye and hair color is hereditary. So is the color of your teeth. Genetic tooth conditions such as dentinogenesis imperfecta can result in bluish-gray teeth.

Discolored Teeth Treatments

Fortunately, there are several methods of obtaining whiter teeth. The best method for your mouth depends on the underlying cause of the discoloration. The type of stain determines how much lighter a whitening product can make your tooth.

First, your dentist may perform an in-office whitening procedure using professional-grade products and special devices unavailable in over-the-counter kits. Next, dental bonding involves placing a resin matching the color of existing teeth over the discolored ones. After the resin sets, the dentist sculpts it to match the other teeth or create the desired shape.

Finally, custom-made veneers are placed over the tooth to change the color and the shape. No matter the source of your discoloration, veneers can give you a whiter and brighter smile. This is a costlier alternative than teeth-whitening products.

Contact a Huntington Long Island Cosmetic Dentist

Improve your smile and confidence with tooth whitening in Huntington Long Island at LI Implant & Cosmetic Dentistry. Call today and schedule a one-on-one consultation to discuss your cosmetic dentistry options. We follow the latest safety procedures, ensuring every precaution for COVID-19 is taken when attending to your cosmetic dentistry needs. Along with resuming routine maintenance and consulting with new patients, we are open for essential emergency procedures.