Why teeth darken and what to do

2024 Author: Arianna Cook | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:55

Causes of darkening of the teeth. Methods for removing plaque: professional whitening in the dental office, home methods.

Darkening of teeth is a serious aesthetic problem that causes considerable discomfort for many. To completely eliminate it, it is necessary to find out all the possible causes that affect the color of the teeth, and then choose the appropriate methods of professional or home whitening.

Why do teeth darken?

The discoloration of tooth enamel can be caused by many factors. The beauty of a smile is influenced by both external and internal factors.

The most common causes of darkening of teeth are:

Disregard for personal hygiene … This is considered one of the key factors. Unfortunately, not all people brush their teeth twice a day. Irregularity of this procedure or its poor-quality conduct leads to the fact that plaque collects on the surface of the enamel, in which there are food debris and pathogens that begin to multiply actively. Over time, the accumulated plaque begins to gradually change its color, becomes darker, overlapping the light enamel.
Tobacco smoke … During smoking of a cigarette, a significant amount of tar gets into the oral cavity. With prolonged systematic smoking, these substances are deposited on the tooth surface. Initially, they lead to only a slight yellowing, but over time, the enamel of the teeth darkens. Darkening due to tobacco smoke is the hardest to remove. In this case, whitening requires not special pastes and folk remedies, but professional procedures in the dental office.
Caries … At first, the process of tooth decay may be completely invisible. Caries starts from the inside. When the process affects most of the tooth, chalky white spots begin to appear on the enamel. These are external manifestations of demineralization. After a while, if you do not start timely treatment of caries, the spots begin to pigmented and become darker. It is worth remembering that the process of destruction very often develops under fillings.
Coloring drinks … The color of teeth is significantly affected by the use of foods and drinks that contain natural or artificial colors. First of all, this is tea and coffee. People drink them most often. Red wines, colored carbonated drinks, the use of brightly colored berries, juices and compotes from them also lead to darkening. So that after them the color of the smile does not change, it is necessary to periodically brush your teeth after each contact with coloring drinks. Periodically, it is advisable to use a toothpaste with intense whitening properties.
Improper dental treatment … Any dental manipulation is stressful for the tooth. Darkening of the enamel can be observed after removal of a nerve or accidental trauma to dental tissue.
Installation of seals … Currently, ceramic fillings are used in dentistry, which do not in any way affect the color of the tooth and practically do not stand out externally. However, some specialists, especially foreign ones, prefer silver materials. These are metal amalgam fillings. It was after their setting that people often note that their teeth began to darken.
Trauma … Damage to teeth from various injuries has serious consequences. In this case, quite often there is a violation of the integrity of the neurovascular bundle, a rupture of the vessel, as a result of which blood enters the oral cavity. The hemoglobin contained in it comes into contact with the tooth enamel, oxidizes, and because of this, the color of the tooth becomes darker, brownish. In addition, damage to blood vessels and nerves leads to the fact that the tooth does not receive sufficient nutrition. As a result, it becomes dull and then dark.
Fluorosis … It is an endemic disease, common in areas where ordinary drinking water contains a large amount of fluoride. The accumulation of this chemical element in the enamel leads to a gradual, but persistent and difficult to remove darkening of the teeth. With fluorosis, standard bleaching often does not help.
Taking medicines … The use of certain medications can also lead to darkening of the teeth. This is most strongly influenced by antibacterial agents, in particular, tetracycline. This medicine has the property of accumulating in the tooth germs, which are at the stage of formation. Accordingly, taking tetracycline by a pregnant woman can lead to the fact that the child's first teeth that erupt will have a dark color.
Chronic pathologies … Long-term illnesses are often reflected in the color of the teeth. It is especially important to consider whether a person has GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). With it, acidic gastric contents are regularly thrown into the esophagus, and then into the oral cavity. Hydrochloric acid comes into contact with tooth enamel, gradually corroding it. Subsequently, the teeth first turn yellowish, and then darken.
Age changes … Over time, elderly people experience a decrease in the rate of restoration of dental tissue, its increased degradability, thinning of the enamel, as well as a change in the very structure and shape of the tooth. All these processes are accompanied by tarnishing, staining, and then darkening of the enamel. In addition, teeth wear out and become thinner.
Calcium deficiency … It is an essential mineral that is essential for the formation of healthy white teeth and strong bones. If its deficiency, the teeth begin to become brittle, white spots appear on them, and subsequently areas of darkening.

In the beginning, the front teeth most often darken, because they are the thinnest in structure. They are also the first to be exposed to external factors, especially drinks with dyes.

What to do if teeth darken?

If you notice that your teeth have begun to darken, you need to see your dentist. Of course, this can be trivial consumption of soda with dyes, and then there is no cause for concern. However, a change in the color of the enamel can be triggered by a serious carious process, which will require appropriate treatment. When the specialist finds out what causes the teeth to darken, he will help you decide on the whitening method. But there are also special methods that are effective at home.

Professional teeth whitening in the dental office

To remove old plaque, in case of tooth decay due to a carious process, in the presence of tartar, it is recommended to use professional whitening methods:

Instrumental whitening … It is produced using special high-tech equipment that helps to cope with plaque of any density, including tartar. This procedure is especially well suited for those people whose enamel darkening is associated with a hereditary predisposition. It is advisable not to carry it out to children under the age of 16. Exceptions are made only in very advanced cases.
Filling … This procedure is necessary for carious darkening and concomitant tooth decay. To prevent caries from progressing, dentists prefer to use fillings made of photopolymer. This material prevents the spread of infection to healthy tooth tissues, lasts a very long time and does not darken. However, the cost of photopolymer filling is much higher than that of conventional filling.
Crowns and veneers … These are one of the most modern methods of restoring the beauty and integrity of teeth. Veneers are easier to install than crowns. This method is relevant at an advanced stage, but when the structure of the tooth itself is not severely disturbed. Crowns are suitable if there are serious carious or traumatic injuries and darkening. However, for their setting, it is necessary that the diseased tooth has a healthy functioning root. The placement of crowns not only solves the problem of darkening, but also strengthens the periodontium, preventing its inflammation.
Peroxide whitening … Whitening with hydrogen peroxide can be done both at home and in the dentist's office. The technician will use the peroxide in the correct concentration range. As a result of the interaction of this substance with dental plaque, a peroxidation reaction with the release of free radicals will occur. However, this is a rather aggressive bleaching method.
Ultrasonic whitening … Brushing your teeth with ultrasound is recommended if teeth that are hard to reach and difficult to clean have begun to darken. This is the safest whitening method and is suitable even for children. It does not damage the enamel in any way. But ultrasonic cleaning significantly increases the temperature sensitivity of the teeth. To avoid this, after the procedure, the use of special protective toothpastes is prescribed.
Air Flow … This whitening method has appeared relatively recently. It is only suitable for removing soft plaque. If there is tartar, the Air Flow technique will not produce the desired result. In the process of the procedure itself, an apparatus is used, from which a stream of soda comes out. It interacts with the soft coating, removing it. The effect of Air Flow is relatively short-lived.
Laser whitening … It is currently considered the most popular among aesthetic procedures in dentistry. The action of the laser allows you to remove plaque of any intensity. The color of the teeth can become lighter in several shades in just one procedure. This effect is very long-term, it lasts for at least 4 years. The only disadvantage of laser whitening is the high price, which is why not everyone can afford it.

Whitening at home

If you do not know what to do if your teeth darken, but the condition of the tooth enamel is not critical, then before going to professional whitening, you can try traditional home methods:

Activated carbon … It is necessary to take 1-2 tablets of coal, crush them well to a powder state and add a small amount of water to them. You should get a black paste. Place it on a brush and brush your teeth with this mixture. To enhance the whitening effect of charcoal, you can add a drop of lemon juice to the crushed tablets. It is also good to add pure charcoal to ordinary toothpaste. Charcoal bleaching is recommended no more than once every 3 days. This procedure will not only get rid of darkening, but also destroy pathogens in the oral cavity.
Hydrogen peroxide … Use this substance very carefully so as not to damage the enamel. If there is a problem of increased sensitivity of the teeth, it is better to refuse such a procedure. It is necessary to moisten a cotton pad with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, and then rub your teeth with it. The maximum time that pure peroxide can be on the teeth is 4 minutes. After that, you need to rinse your mouth. To keep the white color of the teeth as long as possible, every day you need to rinse your teeth with water, to which 1 tbsp. l. hydrogen peroxide.
Lemon … It allows not only to remove plaque, but also destroys pathogenic microorganisms in the oral cavity. 3 hours before such whitening, you should not eat food and drink drinks containing dyes, otherwise the teeth will only become more stained. Also, immediately before the procedure, you need to brush your teeth. Apply a small amount of lemon juice to areas that require bleaching with a cotton pad. You can use just lemon zest instead. The product should be on the teeth for no more than 5 minutes, during which the mouth should be open. Next, you need to rinse the mouth with clean water. Lemon whitening should be done no more than 1 time per week.
Banana peel … This is the easiest and safest way. It does not harm the enamel in any way. However, this whitening is suitable for removing only soft, not intense plaque. You just need to wipe your teeth with the inner surface of the banana peel for 3 minutes, then rinse your mouth.
Aloe vera … In addition to the whitening effect, the juice of this plant has a powerful antimicrobial and wound healing effect. A few drops of juice should be added to the toothpaste daily. The effect will not be noticeable immediately, but it will last for a long time.
Coconut oil … You need to put a small amount of oil in your mouth, hold it for a few seconds, and then spit it out. Next, it is imperative to rinse the oral cavity with warm, preferably even hot boiled water. Alternatively, you can make a homemade toothpaste using baking soda and coconut oil.
Apple vinegar … Add 1 tsp to a glass of warm water. apple cider vinegar. The prepared solution should be used for rinsing in the morning and evening. You can also make a paste by mixing vinegar and baking soda.
Sea salt … It whitens teeth much more effectively than ordinary cooking one. You should mix your paste with a few crystals of sea salt. You need to brush your teeth with such a mixture very carefully, with massage movements, so as not to damage the gums and enamel. This method should not be used for periodontitis.