In your lifetime, your teeth are bound to lose some of that sparkling whiteness. The extent to which the teeth adopt a different color is subject to your diet and dental hygiene. When you notice the discoloration, you might want to visit your dentist so that your teeth can look as white as before. Different whitening techniques are used to whiten teeth. There are different types of stains, and the dentist removes them using varied techniques;

Tooth discoloration

Teeth lose their whiteness slowly; you might need your teeth whitened once in your lifetime or many times. There are three types of teeth staining;

Extrinsic

The discoloration is on the surface of the tooth, which is usually enamel. It forms on minuscule cracks and rough surfaces on the enamel that are not discernible to the naked eye. Food, drinks and tobacco can cause these stains. The amount of staining varies from slight to severe.

To whiten teeth with extrinsic stains, the dentist can clean your teeth or recommend teeth whitening toothpaste. If you clean your teeth well they will stay relatively free of this type of stain.

Intrinsic

It occurs is where the stain has gone deeper into the tooth than the enamel.  Common causes are trauma to the tooth and exposure to tetracycline antibiotics when young. The dentin is stained, and this discoloration becomes more pronounced as the enamel wears out.

Tooth bleaches are often used to get rid of the stains. The process can take long with several visits to the dentist. If the stains are too deep in the tooth for safe removal, the dentist might ask you to consider veneers, bonding or crowning.

Age

As you grow older, the enamel on your teeth erodes gradually. As it gets eroded the inner layer, or dentin becomes exposed to the food you eat and drinks you take.  The stains then penetrate the dentin.

As with intrinsic stains, the stain to get rid of is in the dentin; the dentist usually uses a bleach that can whiten the dentin. You will have more than one visit to the dentist and if the stains do not respond to bleach well enough, restorative treatments like bonding can be a better cure for your teeth.  To keep your teeth white avoid foods that cause stains or brush your teeth soon after you take such meals or drinks. This way you will smile confidently when you need to.

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