White teeth bolster
self-confidence and attract attention while also signaling that you practice
good dental hygiene. Discolored teeth don't just look unattractive and
discourage smiling; they may also alert you to an underlying problem that
requires dental attention.
You can do both your
smile and your general health a big favor by cultivating an understanding of
what tooth discoloration means and how you should respond to it. Here are some
discoloration issues that may merit a trip to the dentist.
Yellow Discoloration
Many people avoid
smiling because their teeth have taken on a yellowish discoloration. This
change in tooth color may occur naturally after years of wear have thinned the
enamel layer on the teeth. The thinner enamel reveals the yellow coloration of
the dentin beneath.
Staining may also turn
teeth yellow. Superficial exposure to coffee or wine, for instance, can impart
a yellowish discoloration which may or may not respond to home brushing or
whitening techniques. Reduce or eliminate these substances from your routine,
and ask about professional whitening services.
Some medications may
produce yellowish staining of teeth as a side effect. If you take drugs for
hypertension, asthma, or cancer (as in chemotherapy treatment), you may
experience a yellowing of your teeth.
If your teeth seem to
take on a yellowish tinge over a long period, that staining could represent
advanced tartar buildup. Saliva and food combine in the mouth to create plaque,
which eventually hardens into tartar. The thicker the tartar accumulation gets,
the darker in color it may appear.
Brown Discoloration
Teeth can turn brown
for a variety of reasons. Popular beverages such as coffee and tea can leave
brown stains that may not come off with ordinary brushing. More seriously, a
brown spot may indicate a cavity, an isolated area of decay which can penetrate
the enamel and invade the body of the tooth.
Tetracycline exposure
can cause brown staining of children's teeth. This common antibiotic can
successfully treat a number of infectious diseases. When taken by pregnant
women, however, the child's teeth may develop permanent brown stains.
Tetracycline administered directly to children can have the same effect.
While most cases of
tetracycline poisoning occur during childhood, before the tooth enamel has
fully developed, the condition can sometimes occur in adults as well. For
example, medications used to treat conditions such as blepharitis have been
known to cause tetracycline staining.
Dentists can often
remove adult-onset tetracycline stains. Cosmetic restorations such as veneers
can hide permanent stains easily and successfully. If your brown spot indicates
a cavity, schedule a dental appointment to get the cavity filled before a
painful infection can develop.
Gray Discoloration
If one of your teeth
turns gray while the surrounding teeth continue to sport their normal enamel
color, you may have a dead tooth. When a tooth loses access to its blood
supply, the inner tissues may die, causing the tooth to turn darker. Some dead
teeth may look almost black.
Traumatic accidents
can deprive teeth of their blood supply. Such an incident could leave you with
a discolored tooth that doesn't necessarily hurt. Advanced tooth decay can also
kill a tooth, a situation more likely to cause severe pain as it affects the
nerve tissue. Get the problem checked out right away.
White Discoloration
While you might
normally associate white teeth with healthy enamel, bright white spots that
appear in stark contrast against slightly-darker enamel surfaces can cause
worry or embarrassment. Two issues associated with abnormal white spots on
teeth include dental fluorosis and enamel hypoplasia.
In dental fluorosis,
children who consume too much fluoride can show white spots on their teeth. In
enamel hypoplasia, the white spots occur when the tooth enamel develops
incorrectly.
Thankfully, neither
condition presents a threat to your teeth. However, you may wish to hide the
white spots beneath cosmetic restorations.
Bear in mind that
tartar accumulation may appear white instead of yellowish. If you see new
patches of white on your teeth, especially along the gum line, you may need to
schedule a dental cleaning.
Whenever you have
concerns about your teeth's appearance, you should consult caring
professionals. Contact Family Dental Care of Wilmingtontoday.
