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.
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.