Stained teeth can be embarrassing for many people. There several reasons teeth can become stained. Most stained teeth are caused by food and drink products or tobacco. Certain types of food and drink have a higher potential to stain teeth and these include coffee, tea, and soda, All foods can stain your teeth if they are not properly cared for. Some medicines can stain teeth as well. The antibiotic Tetracycline can cause discoloration of teeth, giving them a uneven appearance. Vitamin supplements can stain teeth in certain people as well. Iron has been found to stain the teeth of children who take the supplement for any length of time. Fluoride consumption should be carefully monitored as well, because just a little to much fluoride can turn your teeth yellow. Fluoride has also recently been linked to several health issues. Smokers almost always have stained teeth to a certain extent and smoking should be avoided for this and many other reasons. Stained teeth can also be caused by high fever in certain individuals.
There are quite a few things you can do to clean stained teeth but the best thing you can do is to prevent staining. You should be brushing two to three times daily or after you eat within a hour. Regular dentist appointments are an important part of preventing stained teeth. If your teeth are already stained you have several options you can try that will work depending on the amount of staining your teeth have accumulated. We will cover some of the more popular methods for cleaning stained teeth in this article.
The most popular way of cleaning stained teeth is with a whitening toothpaste. You will find shelves full of them in your local stores. Toothpaste is mainly used for prevention of stained teeth but certain brands I have used did give a notable brightening effect after a couple weeks of regular use. Along with whitening toothpaste is mouthwash. Again this is a mild whitening agent that is best used in for prevention of stained teeth.
Bleaching trays you obtain from your dentist can help those with moderate staining of teeth. Bleaching trays can have some side effects such as tooth sensitivity or mouth pain but it is short term and the treatment works quickly. These are reasonably priced but to require at least one trip to the dentist and perhaps more. A similar option that does not require going to the dentist are whitening strips. These are also cheaply priced but tend have a slightly less effect than the trays do and have similar side effects on some individuals. Both are good options for people who have stained teeth.
A new treatment on the block is something called light technology. This method uses hydrogen peroxide and a led light source. This treatment is available from teeth whiting salons around the country and the effects are considered dramatic by many. The treatment tends to be more expensive that the others but many who use it say the results are worth the cost.
There are a few home remedies for stained teeth that have some credibility to their claims. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide rubbed on the teeth can produce a whitening effect similar to strips, but can cause irritation to the gums and sensitive teeth for a short period of time. Vinegar has also been used to clean stained teeth if you can stand the taste. Most people will dilute the vinegar with water to weaken the taste down.
As with any dental issue I strongly advise you to talk to your dentist before trying to deal with stained teeth at home. We all want to get rid of stained teeth but doing so safely will save you time, money and heartache down the road.
