What Are Some Common Treatments for Stained Teeth?

According to oral health experts, having a dental care routine will keep teeth strong and healthy and fight dental cavities. Unfortunately, regular teeth brushing and dental flossing are not enough to prevent some teeth stains. This explains why teeth gradually lose their white appearance and become discolored despite one following an oral care routine religiously. It is thus a common occurrence for people to seek different cosmetic dental procedures to remove or conceal the stains.

At Chantilly Dental Arts Center, our dentist in Chantilly, VA, will best recommend the type of cosmetic dentistry procedure based on the type of stains present on your teeth. Some teeth stains respond to in-office procedures like professional teeth cleaning and dental whitening. However, some may need to be more responsive to whitening treatments and need more advanced techniques.

Classification of Teeth Stains

Dental stains can be classified as; intrinsic, extrinsic, or age-related. Extrinsic stains refer to stains that only affect the dental enamel or teeth’ surface and are mostly caused by long-term tobacco use and high consumption of dark-colored/pigmented beverages and foods.

Intrinsic discoloration affects the layers of teeth beneath the enamel, and since the stains are within your teeth, they are usually more resistant to whitening treatments. Causes of intrinsic stains include medications, tooth decay, oral trauma that leads to tooth injury, genetics, and excessive fluoride use.

Age-related teeth discoloration is usually a result of the enamel wearing down due to years of use. Beneath the enamel is a layer known as dentin with a yellow appearance. When the enamel wears out and becomes thin, the dentin becomes exposed, giving teeth a yellowish appearance.

Common Dental Treatments for Stained Teeth

Your teeth can turn yellow or become discolored for various reasons, but fortunately, several strategies can be implemented to reverse the process or slow it down. Generally, two categories of whitening options exist to fight stained teeth. They include:

In-office Whitening Treatment Procedures

Our dentist in Chantilly, VA, offers various dental procedures to help remove teeth stains. These procedures include:

• Professional teeth whitening – Currently, this is the most done cosmetic dentistry procedure, and this is due to the ease of performing the treatment and its affordability. Teeth whitening near you requires an appointment at the dentist’s office and will take 30 to 60 minutes. During this procedure, the dentist will clean your teeth, isolate your gums for protection, and place whitening trays with bleaching agents on your teeth’ surface. The bleaching agent starts a series of chemical reactions that dissolve the stains.
• Dental veneers – They are a suitable option for severe or stubborn stains. Veneer teeth are thin, customized shells fixed on the front surfaces of teeth that are visible when you smile to cover up stains that do not react to bleaching agents.
• Composite bonding – If you are one of those people who have had unsuccessful whitening procedures, going for dental bonding near you can fix the flaw. Bonding is done using composite resins, where the composite gets applied to a stained tooth’s surface until all the stains are perfectly covered before hardening the resin with curing light.

At-home Whitening Remedies

• Whitening toothpaste – Whitening toothpaste is among the most used treatments for teeth stains as it provides a cheaper alternative and is easy to use. This product uses abrasive paste to get rid of extrinsic stains.
• Rubbing with a fruit peel – Fruit peel from bananas, oranges, and lemon contains citric acid that removes extrinsic stains from your teeth, leaving you with a white smile.
• Dietary changes – Teeth stains are mostly a product of what you frequently consume. Foods, fruits, and beverages that are dark-colored or pigmented are likely to cause teeth stains when consumed excessively. Consuming such foods in moderation or substituting them with high-fiber foods can help prevent stains. High-fiber legumes and vegetables help to neutralize acids in the oral cavity protecting your dental enamel.
• Whitening pens – A whitening pen is ideal for someone who wants to whiten their teeth on the go. This small pen uses peroxide to remove stains on the surface and in teeth crevices. It is best for removing extrinsic stains caused by acidic foods, tobacco, wine, tea, and coffee.