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Archives for March 2021

How can I get coffee stains off my teeth?

Posted on March 29, 2021 by AllSmiles.

I have coffee stains on my teeth from drinking coffee since I was a teenager. My hygienist says they are intrinsic stains that require professional whitening. Is this true, or is there a toothpaste I can use to at least whiten my teeth a little? Will you please explain what intrinsic stains are? Thank you. Stacie from NH

Stacie,

Thank you for your question.

Intrinsic and extrinsic stains are textbook terms that a dentist would not use with a patient without an explanation. But your hygienist is correct—coffee stains are intrinsic. We will explain the terms.

Extrinsic tooth stains

Extrinsic, or external, tooth stains are on the surface of your teeth. If you smoke or chew tobacco, stains build up on your teeth. External factors cause extrinsic stains, and you can remove them with by brushing your teeth with whitening toothpaste or with a dental cleaning. But lingering extrinsic tooth stains can penetrate your teeth and become intrinsic.

Intrinsic tooth stains

Intrinsic, or internal, stains are embedded inside teeth beneath the enamel. Intrinsic stains take years to develop. Years of drinking coffee or tea or eating staining foods like dark berries, eventually penetrate the teeth. Although toothpaste will not remove stains beneath the tooth enamel, bleaching will remove them.

How to Remove Coffee Stains from Teeth

You can remove coffee stains from your teeth with professional bleaching gel. If you have been a coffee drinker for years, the stains are in your teeth, not simply on your teeth. The professional-strength gel that dentists use penetrates your teeth and releases oxygen bubbles to break down stains.

Does whitening toothpaste work on coffee stains?

Although whitening toothpaste will remove surface stains on teeth, it cannot remove coffee stains embedded beneath your tooth enamel for these reasons:

  • The whitening agent is not potent enough for internal stains
  • The toothpaste does not stay in contact with your teeth long enough to penetrate them
  • Coffee stains are deep in your teeth—beneath the enamel

You will need professional teeth whitening from a dentist or professional strength bleaching gel and custom trays to penetrate your teeth and break up coffee stains.

Why use custom teeth whitening trays for coffee stains?

Photo of teeth whitening trays in a case, for information on DIY teeth whitening from Lowell, MA dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Custom bleaching trays fit your teeth precisely

Custom bleaching trays are made after a dentist takes impressions of your teeth. The trays fit your teeth only, and no one else can wear them. When you put bleaching gel in custom trays, it is sealed against your teeth for deep penetration. The trays keep the gel in contact with your teeth to blast away coffee stains. The trays also keep bleaching gel away from your gums so it will not burn them. Over-the-counter teeth whitening trays do not fit your teeth as precisely, so whitening treatment is not as effective.

Endogenous stains

Endogenous stains begin within teeth that are developing during childhood. A skilled cosmetic dentist must examine endogenous stains to determine which cosmetic treatment is best for the stains.

  • Tetracycline – Tetracycline stains are endogenous. If a child takes the antibiotic tetracycline while permanent teeth are developing, the medication will darken teeth from the inside out. Tetracycline makes teeth turn brown.
  • Genetics – Some teeth have genetically dark pigmentation.
  • Fluorosis – If a child consumes too much fluoride while their teeth are developing, a blotchy color will dominate the teeth. Bleaching fluorosis stains will make matters worse. For details about fluorosis stains, read our post, My dentist can’t remove the brown stains on my teeth.

Best wishes for a brighter smile.

Michael Szarek, DMD, an accredited cosmetic dentist in Lowell, MA, sponsors this post.

 

Filed Under: Teeth whitening Tagged With: berries tooth stains, endogenous toothstains, external tooth stains, extrinsic tooth stains, fluorois tooth stains, genetically dark teeth, internal tooth stains, intrinsic tooth stains, remove coffee stains teeth, smoking tooth stains, tea tooth stains, teeth whitening, teeth whitening coffee stains, tetracycline stains, tobacco tooth stains, toothpaste coffee stains

My dentist can’t remove the brown stains on my teeth

Posted on March 15, 2021 by AllSmiles.

My dentist cannot remove the brown stains on my teeth. I have a natural health practitioner, and she says the stains are from excess fluoride. My town added fluoride to the water three years ago, but I didn’t begin to notice the brown stains until July of last year. I do not drink coffee, but I drink green tea, which has fluoride, so I am switching to bottled water that does not contain fluoride. I read that porcelain veneers will work but so will dental bonding, and it is cheaper. I am now looking for a dentist for composite bonding to cover the stains. How can I find a dentist who can cover the stains without making my teeth look worse? Thanks. Hannah

Hannah,

Thank you for your inquiry. We do not understand why your dentist did cannot remove the stains on your teeth. Did your dentist try teeth whitening treatment without success? Based on your history of when the stains began, they are not fluorosis stains.

What Is Dental Fluorosis?

Dental fluorosis is a condition caused by excessive fluoride intake while teeth are still developing. Mottled tooth enamel is white in mild cases and brown in severe cases. After your teeth are fully developed, fluoride cannot stain them. Tooth stains that appear in adulthood are not fluorosis stains.

Mild and moderate fluorosis stains photos

If fluorosis is not the cause of tooth stains, your dentist might not recommend porcelain veneers

Types of Tooth Stains

In adulthood, tooth stains are either internal or external.

  • Internal stains – Absorbed into tooth enamel, internal stains are removed with bleaching. Pigments from dark food and drinks like berries, coffee, tea, and soda can penetrate the tooth enamel and discolor your teeth.
  • External stains – Toothpaste like Supersmile® removes the protein pellicle on your teeth. Protein pellicle is a film that naturally covers the surface of your teeth. Stains adhere to the pellicle and build up on your teeth. External stains usually appear around your gumline and between your teeth.

Treatment for Brown Tooth Stains

When brown tooth stains are not related to fluorosis, tooth bleaching is less expensive than dental bonding or porcelain veneers. Bleaching does not require applying anything artificial to your teeth. Bonding and porcelain veneers require an expert cosmetic dentist to produce results that mimic natural tooth structure, color, translucence, and gloss.

Search for an experienced cosmetic dentist and schedule a consultation to discuss your options.

 

Michael Szarek, DMD, an accredited cosmetic dentist in Lowell, MA, sponsors this post.

 

Filed Under: Teeth whitening Tagged With: brown tooth stains, causes of tooth stains, dental fluorosis, external tooth stains, internal tooth stains, tooth stains causes, tooth stains dental bonding, what causes fluorosis stains

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