How do dentist remove stains from teeth

Even if you clean your teeth thoroughly through regular brushing and flossing, stains or spots can still develop on your teeth. While some types of discolouration may not be serious - apart from their aesthetic effect - dark or black tooth stains may actually indicate something more serious, like teeth cavities.

However, black spots are not always due to teeth decay. If you are also concerned about black stains on your teeth affecting your smile, read on. This article explains the causes of black staining of the teeth and how you can get rid of them.

What Are Black Spots On Teeth That Aren't Cavities?

While brushing, if you find black stains on your teeth, your first thought would be that these are teeth cavities. While that might be true, but it is not always the case. Your teeth can have dark staining due to a variety of reasons. For example, if you drink a lot of coffee or tea, you might get dark or black stains on your teeth.

Besides, in some cases, black spots also represent dental calculus on the teeth—the calculus forms on the teeth when one ignores regular brushing and flossing. As a result, a thin layer of food debris forms on the teeth, which hardens over time to become the calculus. The dental calculus promotes further food adherence and ultimately appears dark in colour.

How To Remove The Stains From Teeth?

While there are many ways to remove tooth stains, the method that best suits your case depends on the type and cause of staining. For example, if your teeth have dark or black spots due to extrinsic staining caused by excessive tea or coffee intake, your dentist may recommend in-office bleaching or at-home whitening. Similarly, if the black spots are due to staining of the calculus adhering to your teeth, a professional whitening procedure followed with teeth whitening would give the best results.

On the other hand, if your dentist feels that your teeth appear dark because of internal staining, you may have to undergo a special whitening procedure to get pearly white teeth. If your tooth stains are permanent and cannot be removed through bleaching, the American Dental Association recommends getting veneers or crowns on your teeth to mask the staining cosmetically, white fillings may also help. Most importantly, you can minimise the chances of tooth staining by ensuring good oral hygiene through regular brushing and flossing.

I Have Black Stuff On Teeth Near Gums, What Is It?

Most tooth stains develop on the visible “crown” portion of the teeth. However, if you have black staining near your gums, it is a characteristic sign of calculus formation on the tooth. These calculus deposits must be removed immediately through professional cleaning. Otherwise, apart from unaesthetic appearance, the acids released from the harmful bacteria inside the calculus will damage the gum, leading to gum recession and root cavities.

What Food Causes The Most Stains On Teeth?

Some various foods and drinks can stain teeth. Most common among them include curries, pasta sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and berries. These items contain ingredients that can adhere to the tooth surface - the tooth enamel - and remain there for a long time, despite brushing.

In addition, excessive intake of drinks such as coffee, tea, red wine, and fizzy drinks can also cause staining. Finally, tobacco use is also one of the most common causes of unaesthetic teeth staining.

Black Tartar On Teeth, What Causes It?

When we eat or drink anything, a fine layer of food debris - the plaque - forms on our teeth. Dental plaque is usually removed when you brush your teeth. However, if regular brushing and flossing are ignored, the plaque gradually hardens to form the calculus or tartar.

The calculus gradually promotes further food deposition and bacterial adherence and become dark or black-coloured over time. Dental calculus not only affects the facial aesthetics, but the toxins released from the harmful bacteria residing in it also result in widespread damage to the gums and the bone supporting the teeth.

Professional Ways To Remove Stains On Teeth?

Fortunately, modern dentistry offers various options to remove teeth stains. Your dentist will perform a professional whitening procedure for removing external tooth stains. Your dentist will use a potent yet safe bleaching agent - typically carbamide peroxide in this procedure. When activated using light, the bleaching agent releases hydrogen peroxide that will chemically dissolve the surface stains.

If your teeth stains are because of the adhering dental calculus, your dentist or dental hygienist will first remove them with professional teeth cleaning. In this procedure, your dentist will use a special instrument, the ultrasonic scaler, that vibrates at a very high frequency to remove the plaque and tartar deposits. Once your teeth have been cleaned, your dentist may perform teeth whitening to lighten the shade of your teeth, if necessary.

Some teeth stains are permanent; they cannot be removed through a bleaching procedure. Your dentist will cosmetically mask these stains by using porcelain veneers or crowns in these cases.

Teeth stains can have a significant impact on your smile and facial appearance. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry survey, people with stained teeth or defective smiles are perceived as less attractive. If you are looking for a cosmetic dentist in Golders Green for getting rid of your black teeth stains that are ruining your smile, look no more.

At De-ientes Dental, we take pride in having a highly qualified team of dental professionals that can take care of all your cosmetic, general dentistry problems. So, what are you waiting for? Book an appointment with us today for a free consultation, and let us help you get rid of your tooth stains.