Why Do Teeth Darken?

Serving Irvine, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel, Santa Margarita, and Surrounding Areas

Many factors can cause darkening and discoloration of the surfaces of your teeth. Some of these are easier to correct than others. Dr. Norman Huefner offers several options for restoring your teeth to a natural color, depending on what caused the discoloration in the first place.

Some of the most common causes of darkening of the enamel include:

• Foods and beverages – Some foods and drinks can cause enamel to darken, including coffee, tea, colas, and wines.
• Tobacco – Both smoking and chewing tobacco can stain the teeth.
• Inadequate dental care – If you don’t brush and floss regularly, materials can remain on the teeth and cause stains.
• Medications – Certain drugs can cause discoloration, especially if they’re administered while the permanent teeth are forming.
• Aging – The outer enamel layer of the teeth wears down as we get older, allowing the darker, opaque layers below to show through.

Reducing exposure to substances that cause staining, such as coffee or tobacco, can help reduce the darkening of your teeth. Over the counter products such as tooth whitening toothpaste or strips can also be of help, but for the best results, you should see your dentist.

Dr. Huefner offers several tooth whitening options, customized to address your particular issues. In-office tooth whitening is much more powerful than over-the-counter products, producing faster, more satisfactory results. Some whitening options might require a combination of office visits and whitening agents used at home.

In general, in-office options involve applying a bleaching agent onto the teeth and leaving it for a specified period of time. At-home treatments typically use a whitening agent placed in a special tray, which you place over your teeth as instructed by Dr. Huefner.

Dr. Huefner also uses the innovative Zoom! tooth whitening system. This system uses a peroxide whitening agent that is activated by a special light. The Zoom! tooth whitening system can provide dramatic results in a very short amount of time.

Some forms of tooth darkening can’t be corrected with whitening systems. This is particularly true for discoloration caused during the formation of the teeth. An example would be permanent teeth that come in with bands of discoloration due to excessive exposure to fluoride or use of certain antibiotics before the age of eight.

If your discolored teeth can’t be corrected with a tooth whitening system, Dr. Huefner might recommend veneers or crowns to restore a natural color to your teeth. To find out what kind of treatment would be best to bring your teeth back to a natural appearance, please contact us at Sensational Smiles. We’ll answer all your questions or schedule a consultation at our Orange County, California offices to recommend the best treatment for you.