You don’t have to put up with stained or discoloured teeth.
What causes staining?
Changes in colour can often be attributed to dietary and lifestyle habits which once identified can often be easily removed. Smoking along with many foods and drinks which are strong in colour, such as tea, coffee, red wine, tomato, soy sauce, herbs and some spices have the potential to stain teeth. In some cases medications, health issues or tooth defects may be the underlying cause.
Types of stain: extrinsic vs intrinsic
It is important to understand the types of tooth staining before deciding on the best treatment.
Essentially there are two types of stains. superficial surface staining (extrinsic) or stain embedded within the deeper layers of the tooth (intrinsic). Sometimes there may be a combination of both.
How to get rid of staining
The first step to improving the colour of your teeth is to make an appointment with one of our Dentists, who will be able to advise you which type of stain you have and identify the cause and then recommend the most effective treatment.
For many people, having a thorough preventive maintenance treatment with our Hygienists will remove most or all of the extrinsic stain. Our Hygienists will also discuss the best home care regime to help you keep your teeth looking their best.
If there are remaining intrinsic stains or you would like your teeth to appear whiter, then a variety of treatments are available. These include professional and safe tooth whitening, or procedures to conceal the stains using materials such as resin bonding and ceramic. Again, our Dentists will advise you of the most effective option for your teeth.
A natural and bright smile is really within your reach!
Teeth whitening at home
Teeth whitening products seem to be everywhere these days, making it confusing when deciding what is effective and which ones are safe to use. It is important that you know what is safe to use and what will give you the best result before you make a decision. The last thing you want to do is cause permanent damage to your teeth.
Over the counter products often consist of a toothpaste or a whitening strip or a gel or abrasive paste applied directly to the teeth or in a carrier tray often with limited effectiveness or the potential to cause permanent damage.
