Getting A Brighter Smile Starts With Understanding Tooth Discoloration

Looking to get a brighter smile this holiday season? Signature Smile has a few options to improve the brightness of your teeth – but we’d also like to inform you of common reasons for discoloration in hopes that you can achieve and maintain the smile you’ve always wanted.

There are two types of tooth discoloration:

Extrinsic discoloration, which occurs when the outer surface of your teeth, also known as the enamel, displays yellow tints, white streaks,or brown spots.

Intrinsic discoloration, which occurs when the inner structure of the tooth, also known as the dentin, darkens or shows a yellow or gray tint.

Extrinsic stains are mild and can be easily treated with Signature Smile’s teeth whitening procedure.

Intrinsic stains, however, are a bit trickier to whiten due to its location inside the tooth’s structure and often require an alternative cosmetic treatment such as veneers.

What causes the discoloration?

In order to maintain a white smile, it is important to know what could be causing the discoloration.

Food/Drinks – Coffee, tea, red wine, soda and foods like blueberries and cherries can cause extrinsic stains.

Tobacco Use – Smoking or chewing tobacco will cause your teeth to appear yellow.

Poor Dental Hygiene – Brushing and flossing your teeth helps remove plaque build up and other substances that could stain your teeth. It is important to maintain a daily routine of brushing your teeth twice a day (or after every meal if you can).

Aging – Over time, the outer layer of enamel wears away, revealing the natural yellow tint of your dentin. In addition, as time passes you will begin to build up on other stains causing your teeth to darken.

Disease – Diseases, like celiac disease, can affect tooth enamel and cause a discoloration in your teeth.

Medication – Antidepressants, high blood pressure drugs, and antihistamines can cause a discoloration in your teeth. Using tetracycline antibiotics during the second half of pregnancy can affect the baby’s tooth enamel and cause discoloration.

In addition, children who take tetracycline and doxycycline antibiotics before age eight may see intrinsic discoloration on their permanent teeth.

Genetics – Yes, some people are lucky and have brighter/stronger enamel from birth.

What can I do to get whiter teeth?

Have no fear, Signature Smile offers several procedures to give you the smile of your dreams. For extrinsic discoloration, Dr. Tolchinsky and Dr. Trogan can provide both in-office and at-home tooth whitening treatments.

For intrinsic discoloration, Signature Smile can provide porcelain veneers that will dramatically change your smile. At our Brooklyn Heights office, our experienced dentists custom design veneers for each one of our patients according to existing dentition, bite, skin tone, facial features, and shape.

Stop by our Brooklyn Heights office today to see what we can do to improve your smile!