Black stains on teeth: how to treat them?

Stains on the teeth are generally unsightly and can cause real complexes to those who suffer from them. These stains can be the result of poor oral hygiene, but this is not always the case.

Today, we are going to focus on the origins of stains on the teeth, and above all, we are going to present you with the means to remedy them.

Where do black spots on the teeth come from?

We are not all equal when it comes to white teeth. Genetics has an influence on the quality of our teeth, as well as on their color. Some enamel textures are more porous than others. They retain more impurities and color pigments from certain foods, making them more vulnerable to staining.

While you can't change the original shade of your teeth, you can correct the stains that appear over time.

The enamel, which is the visible outer layer of the teeth, has a solid color. If black spots appear, they come from :

• Lack of oral hygiene and deposits on the surface of the teeth;
• certain behaviors: smoking, consumption of tea, coffee or red wine, licorice, etc. ;
• ingestion of dietary supplements containing iron;
• of caries due to bacteria that have burrowed into the tooth;
• taking certain medications, especially tetracycline-based antibiotics.

Childhood melanodontia

Children's teeth are susceptible to the same causes as adults', but there is a disease – fortunately rare – called melanodontia which causes black spots on baby teeth.

If its origin remains uncertain, it would seem that it could be linked to a vitamin C deficiency. The enamel is destroyed in patches, leaving black spots. They are most often found on the upper incisors.

A treatment with antibiotics and vitamins can partially alleviate the problem, before the milk teeth fall out.

How to remedy black stains on the teeth?

Oral hygiene

The best solution to black stains on teeth is not to let them set in! This truism does not seem to be obvious to everyone.

It is essential to brush your teeth after each meal. Even if you are working, it is always easy to find a corner of the sink after lunch and if someone dares to make remarks, you can always object with your star smile and fresh breath!

Your mouth is bathed in saliva which contains tartar and which, along with food detritus, forms dental plaque. If you don't brush it off immediately, it turns into tartar, a porous surface that retains stain and eventually causes black spots.

Avoid foods that stain teeth and, if you drink a lot of tea, you can drink it through a straw to avoid contact with your teeth, thus staining.

An annual visit to the dentist

An annual check-up at the dentist is necessary. It allows us to detect problems before they become too big. A cavity, for example, is not painful at its onset. If you wait until it hurts, it will already be well advanced.

This visit also allows you to proceed with a descaling that will remove the stains that you may have accumulated during the year.

Tooth whitening

As we age, our teeth tend to become discolored. Tooth whitening – painless – will give your teeth a new shine. It is intended for adults only and for people who do not have gum problems.

Tooth whitening should be performed in the office, or at home with products provided by your dentist. Do not use products that you are not sure of their composition. They can be too corrosive and irreversibly damage your teeth.

We recommend Smile Avenue's product if you want to do your teeth whitening at home:

Dentures for damaged teeth

It is strongly advised not to get dentures as long as your teeth are strong enough. However, if you lack enamel, your teeth will stain easily and become sensitive. Veneers solve both problems: they protect the tooth and are a solid color, comparable to your natural teeth.

When teeth are too badly affected by cavities, they are devitalized and trimmed to receive a crown that will be the same color as your teeth, without staining.

Finally, take good care of your teeth and you will keep your smile bright.

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Factors that aggravate dark spots

As we have already mentioned, genetics define the color of your teeth. The rest is a matter of behavior and hygiene. Certain factors accelerate and amplify the stains that appear on the teeth.

The cigarette

If you smoke cigarettes or any other product, you will see yellowish deposits due to nicotine at the base of the visible part of the tooth, at the gum line. If you don't have your teeth scaled regularly, they gradually turn brown and then almost black.

Despite scaling and brushing, with age, a smoker's teeth remain more stained than the teeth of a non-smoker.

Colored ingredients

Colored foods and beverages affect the color of your teeth. Their chromogenic substances stain the enamel. This does not mean that you should deprive yourself of them, but that you should conscientiously brush your teeth after eating them.

The main products that stain teeth are tea, coffee, red wine, beets, berries, fruit juices, artificial colorings in sweets and drinks, curry, licorice, etc.

Medication

Some medications, especially tetracycline-based antibiotics, can stain teeth or turn them uniformly gray.

Age

Enamel becomes thinner with age and can also become more porous. It retains more stains and the dentin that forms the undercoat and is less white dulls it.

Dental hygiene

Lack of dental hygiene allows tartar to set in faster, pigments from colored foods to set in, and bacteria to dig cavities.

On the other hand, too much brushing with an aggressive toothpaste can make the enamel porous and more likely to stain.

Creeping decay

Rampant caries affects mostly children and adolescents. It is often linked to the excessive consumption of sugar which feeds the bacteria. These, instead of drilling into the tooth to reach its core, create a superficial line that goes around the tooth and eventually continues onto the adjacent teeth.

Rampant decay creates unsightly stains, but more importantly, completely destroys the tooth if the dentist does not intervene. It is imperative to treat them, even if they are baby teeth, because their poor condition negatively influences the permanent teeth that will grow in already weakened.

Identify the origin of stains on your child's teeth

How to remove black stains from teeth?

The first thing you should do to remedy stains on your teeth is to make an appointment with your dentist. He will proceed to a total scaling and treat, if necessary, infections and cavities. Thereafter, you have several solutions to further optimize the whiteness of your teeth.

In-office tooth whitening

In-office bleaching consists of having you wear trays in which a gel is placed, the action of which is reinforced by exposure to a specific light. It takes two or three sessions to see results.

The dentist may suggest that you follow the treatment at home. Because the gel is less dosed, you will need to wear it longer. The easiest way is to wear the gutters at night.

This type of whitening allows you to gain several shades and its effect lasts several years.

Dental veneers

Dental veneers are prostheses that are bonded to the teeth. You choose the color, as well as the shape, which allows you to readjust your smile, especially if you have chipped teeth.

The crowns

Crowns are placed on teeth that are too damaged to be treated and have been devitalized. They are made of a ceramic that offers all shades of white.

Black stains on the teeth : FAQ

Your teeth become stained and also very sensitive, because the enamel no longer protects them