DISCOLOURED TEETH

Overview

Discoloured teeth may occur as a result of:

• extrinsic stains - stains which occur on the surface of the tooth. These stains can be removed by scaling and polishing.
• intrinsic stains - stains which occur within the tooth structure and cannot be removed by scaling and polishing. Some intrinsic stains can be removed by bleaching

Causes
Extrinsic stains can be caused by:

• Coloured compounds found in foods and drinks (eg. coffee, tea, red wine, colas, curries)
• Tobacco
• Poor oral hygiene
• Chromogenic (stain forming) bacteria which act on certain foods to produce black stains

External stains caused by tobacco use

Intrinsic stains can be caused by:

• Natural aging of teeth.
• Trauma to teeth
• Tooth decay (caries)
• Genetic factors
• Disturbance in formation of teeth from
  - medication or chemicals eg tetracycline, excessive fluoride consumed during the tooth formative years
  - illnesses which affect tooth development eg high fevers, metabolic disorders
• Root canal treatment
  - teeth which no longer have a functioning pulp will change colour after some time

Symptoms
Extrinsic stains apart from looking unsightly, do not cause symptoms. Intrinsic stains arising from tooth pathology, eg decay, will present with the corresponding symptoms of the pathology

Prevention
Extrinsic stains can be prevented by:

• avoiding smoking, and reducing consumption of coffee, and foods with coloured compounds
• good oral hygiene
• regular visits to the dentist for scaling and polishing

Treatment Options
Bleaching or teeth whitening can improve the colour of teeth. Teeth resistant to bleaching can be veneered or crowned.