05/30/2024
We all want a shining bright smile, but with so much information out there, let’s break it down a little further.
Why do teeth get discoloured in the first place?
👉🏼Foods & Drinks: Some foods and drinks have their vibrant colors to specific chemical compounds known as “chromogens.” Others have a substance called “tannin,” which makes teeth more prone to staining. Additionally, certain foods are acidic will cause demineralization, which will cause you to loose calcium & phosphate in your enamel over time, which is what causes the yellow to show through. Make sure you are also remineralizing your teeth if you eat a lot of acidic foods.
👉🏼 Aging: As we age, the outer layer of enamel on our teeth wears away, revealing the yellowish dentin underneath, which can make teeth appear more discoloured.
👉🏼Tobacco Use: Ni****ne & tar in to***co products causes yellow stains and a brown tinge to teeth.
👉🏼Mouth Injury: Damage to a tooth from partial dislodgment, cracking, chipping, or breaking can harm the pulp, causing bleeding, which may appear as a dark spot visible through the tooth's outer layers of dentin and enamel.
👉🏼Medications: Every medication is different, but many of these interfere with healthy mouth conditions, by inhibiting production of saliva, leading to dry mouth. These affect tooth enamel and the delicate microbial balance in the mouth that can lead to tooth discolouration.
👉🏼Illnesses: Many illnesses cause intrinsic discolouration, which starts inside the tooth and affects the dentin. But also can be caused by extrinsic discolouration, due to the oral environment certain illnesses & diseases contribute to (dry mouth, microbiome dysbiosis).
While we all want a bright, white smile, it’s important to know that many at-home treatments that are deemed safe and effective, can actually cause long-term damage due to their abrasiveness or ability to affect oral tissues. Is it really worth it?
Each person’s oral health is unique to them, so it’s best to speak with your dentist about the best teeth whitening option for you!.
