Dental patients often ask questions about how to fix stained teeth. Tooth discoloration is caused by a variety of factors.
- Certain types of food and drink can stain your teeth. For example, coffee, tea, wine, and cola can cause tooth discoloration.
- Tobacco use is well known for causing stained teeth and many other dental issues.
- If you don’t brush or floss your teeth, poor dental hygiene can affect the color of your teeth as well.
- Any dental disease that affects the enamel on your teeth can potentially lead to stained teeth.
- Age and genetics also play a part in the natural color of your teeth.
Thankfully, there are many solutions for how to fix stained teeth so keep reading to find out how to reverse the effects of these above mentioned teeth-yellowing culprits!
The Ultimate Guide On How to Fix Stained Teeth
Diet Changes
It is important to keep certain foods and drinks in moderation in your diet. The rule of thumb is: anything that could stain your white shirt could also potentially stain your teeth. This doesn’t mean you have to give up eating or drinking anything with color or even forfeit your morning cup of coffee. But you may want to start eating or drinking less of the usual culprits that can really stain your teeth. You can also rinse your mouth after eating, which can help. The list of drinks and foods that are thought to stain your teeth the most are:
- black coffee
- black tea
- wine
- colas
- sports drinks
- berries
- sauces (especially soy and tomato)
- highly pigmented fruit juice
- pickles
- ketchup
- balsamic vinegar
- candy, beets
- curry
- popsicles
Many of those foods are highly acidic, which opens up the pores of your tooth enamel, making it easier for stains to set in.
Dental Hygiene Changes
Proper dental hygiene is the best way to erase and prevent stained teeth. This is the first thing we always tell our patients when they ask how to fix stained teeth. Brush your teeth thoroughly with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day. You can brush more often to prevent stains, but in the least, make sure to brush your teeth after consuming any of the foods or drinks we mentioned above. Also, remember to floss when you brush. Your toothbrush will miss areas and the floss can help remedy this problem. The cleaner you keep your mouth, the less stained your teeth will be.
Teeth Whitening
Patients are often interested in teeth whitening when they ask about how to fix stained teeth. Diet and dental hygiene are important, but teeth whitening is a great option for fixing stained teeth as well. This dental procedure lightens stains and whitens teeth. It is simple and commonly done in dental offices as well as at home.
We recommend having the procedure done in the safety and under the expertise of a dental practice. After a thorough exam to identify any possible issues, your dentist will apply a gel-like solution to your teeth and leave it there. It may or may not be activated by a laser light. After a certain amount of time, your dentist will rinse your mouth. Teeth whitening is as simple as that. Your dentist can also prepare you a custom tray and solution so you can whiten your teeth at home. Though teeth whitening is not a permanent solution, it has great results for how to fix stained teeth.
If you want to go to a dentist you can trust for teeth whitening, check out our website and make an appointment to visit Plymouth Valley Dental Group soon.
