Causes of Discoloration to Teeth

Teeth can be very sensitive organs. Many teeth whitening products act on the enamel, which is the outer layer of the tooth. This in most people’s mouths is a somewhat thin layer. Protected by the enamel is the dentine, which is the main part of the tooth. Under the dentine is the bone root.

Too much damage to the enamel exposes the dentine, causing greyish areas on your teeth and tooth sensitivity. This can also make you more likely to have cavities, which can also be considered ugly in your mouth. Enamel is porous as well, which means materials can work their way into and stain the enamel layer. Your mouth naturally forms a thin protective layer over your tooth enamel, as well, but this layer is easily broken down with heat, cold, or sustained contact by sugars or other sticky foods, as food sugars also form a layer on top of your teeth as you chew.

If you are trying to whiten your teeth, you should probably stop doing the things that are causing them to darken. One cause of teeth discoloration is aging, which unfortunately cannot be stopped. Other causes can be, such as smoking. A more serious cause is illness or disease, which is why you should visit your dentist or doctor regularly to ensure you are staying healthy. Most tooth discoloration is harmless, but many don’t really like yellow teeth. Commonly blamed drinks are coffee, teas, and red wines. These, as well as colored sodas contain dyes which stain your teeth as they go past. A little bit cannot have very much effect, but as people often drink these drinks daily, over the long term, an effect is seen. Tartar buildup on the teeth can also cause surface staining.

Another commonly blamed cause of teeth yellowing is nicotine and tar from cigarette smoking. Chewing tobacco will also cause a lot of tooth staining.

Some causes of teeth discoloration you cannot do anything about. Some people naturally have more yellow or more grey teeth. Also there can be congenital discoloration. As well, some antibiotics can cause tooth discoloration, such as tetracycline use. Tetracycline can also cause tooth discoloration if a mother uses this antibiotic during pregnancy, her child could end up with tooth discoloration.