Even the best cared for teeth will eventually stain. This is because even the smoothest tooth surfaces have tiny, microscopic cracks and divots in them, and are not entirely smooth, giving the bacteria a place to accumulate and make tartar and plaque, and also an opportunity for staining materials to stain the gunk that accumulates in them. The enamel itself can become stained from certain compounds (listed below), by binding themselves to the calcium and fluoride matrix that the tooth enamel is made up of.
Teeth that are thus stained arenโt just aesthetically less pleasing, the stains and tartar that accumulates is a breeding ground for bacteria that can erode the tooth enamel. This is why these stains need to be removed because they are more likely to become cavities.
The most common reason for stained teeth is a combination of coffee and cigarettes. Between the two of them, they account for the vast majority of stains. The tar from tobacco sticks to your teeth and gives a great, hard to remove safe haven for bacteria to breed in, and coffee just happens to colour enamel a very dark brown colour. Tea, red wine, and any other food or drink with high levels of tannins will also stain your teeth. Red berries, beets, strawberries and in general red, acidic foods can also stain the teeth a disquieting shade of pink, something that is extremely visible, even from a distance.
Although you may try and scrape away the stains at home, you will probably end up hurting your tooth enamel, subjecting yourself to more cavities, and probably will not do a good job at removing the stains at all. The best solution is to check in with us and book an appointment for a hygiene session and tooth whitening. During the hygiene session, the dentist or dental hygienist will gently but effectively scrape away all of the microscopic dirt and tartar from your tooth surfaces and from below your gums and all stains will also be removed. Afterwards, the tooth surfaces will be polished down and made real smooth, making it more difficult for bacteria to start a colony and stain your teeth. The tooth whitening session will get your enamel at tis absolute brightest by removing all stains and chemicals from it.
