The Hows and Whys of Dental Bleaching

Those dark brownish spots on your teeth that make you cringe when you look in the mirror can be caused because of extrinsic or external factors, intrinsic or internal factors or age related factors.

Extrinsic factors include staining because of foods, or beverages like coffee or cola. These can also include tobacco and nicotine stains.

Intrinsic factors include yellowing or darkening of the teeth because of trauma or the use of antibiotics in childhood. For instance, children who have ingested large quantities of fluoride in early childhood may experience a darkening of the dentin.  Besides, use of tetracycline antibiotics in children below 8 years of age can also cause discoloration. Children born to women who took tetracycline in the second half of pregnancy can have teeth that are discolored when they emerge. A fall, accident or any other injury caused to the tooth can also affect the tooth.

There is also another kind of discoloration that occurs when the dentin naturally ages over a period of time.  Besides, as people get older, their teeth may become weaker, and any injuries may lead to discoloration.

Preventing Discoloration
Some kinds of discoloration can be removed through a professional cleaning by your dentist. Other stains may be long lasting, and a mere cleaning or bleaching won't help.  It is best to prevent staining by brushing after every meal. Rinse your mouth after drinking coffee or eating staining foods. Get your teeth cleaned regularly by your dentist. Avoid giving children excessive amounts of fluoride supplements.

Bleaching agents can be applied to remove discoloration. This is a professional procedure, and will be performed by your dentist, who will apply a bleaching gel to your teeth. The gel will be left for between 30 and 35 minutes. You may need several additional treatments to bring about the kind of whitening results that you wish to see.

Bleaching can also be done at home. Ask your dentist for a bleaching kit that will include a gel and a mouth guard. However, these home bleaching kits aren’t as effective as the professional bleaching treatments performed by your dentist. You can use whitening toothpaste to remove light stains.  However, these aren’t very effective.

Sometimes, darkening of the tooth occurs after you undergo root canal treatment. In such cases, bleaching treatments won’t help. Your dentist may recommend placing a crown or veneer to hide the discoloration. In cases where bleaching doesn’t work to lighten the discoloration, you can get your teeth covered instead. Your dentist will cover the discolored area with a composite bonding material that can be matched to the color of the teeth. Dental veneers are a more expensive way of hiding discoloration. Veneers are nothing, but ceramic coverings that are bonded to the tooth surface.

Discoloration of the teeth is not a health problem, but merely a cosmetic one. Extrinsic stains are easy to remove, while intrinsic discoloration may require more expensive or lengthy dental treatment.