Stained Teeth: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

The colour of the teeth is actually dependent upon certain natural factors and some genetic too. Dentin is the layer that is mostly responsible for the colour of the teeth. Dentin is actually yellow-brown in colour and is covered by a very hard layer called enamel which is white in colour. Enamel is responsible for the bluish, pinkish or yellowing tinge of the teeth. The core of the tooth is known as dental pulp which is pink or red in colour due to the presence of blood vessels. But colour of teeth is not influenced by this layer at all. The causes of stained teeth are some foods and drinks like tea, coffee, wines, coloured carbonated drinks, apples etc. Chewing and smoking excessive tobacco also causes the teeth to change colour. Certain medications like antibiotics such as doxycycline and tetracycline can discolour teeth in children below 8 years. Several mouth washes containing cetylpyridinium chloride and chlorhexidine also stain teeth. Certain antipsychotic drugs, antihistamines and high blood pressure medications have also been reported to stain teeth. Maintain poor dental hygiene like not brushing and flossing properly after meals is also responsible for teeth staining. Stained teeth can also be a result of some diseases like some infections during pregnancy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Stains on teeth can be of different types. For example, extrinsic teeth stain wherein staining of teeth occurs on the outer surface of the teeth. A thin layer of deposition occurs on the teeth surface due to excessive tobacco consumption, tea, coffee or wine. Intrinsic staining of teeth occurs when the staining particles affect the inside of the enamel. Teeth stains also occur due to increasing age as the enamel thins down with age. There are some treatment options to whiten teeth and remove the stains on the teeth. Teeth stains can be removed by treatment options like veneers, bondings, over the counter whitening products, brushing and flossing properly etc.

There are several treatment options for stain removal from teeth. Adopting healthy dental habits, brushing and flossing after every meal helps wash off any possible stain or plaque development on the teeth. Dentifrices are devices that use a detergent or an abrasive or an antitartar agent for teeth whitening. Tooth brushing with dentifrices helps keeping extrinsic staining at bay. Professional tooth cleaning involves ultrasonic cleaning, air-jet polishing with abrasive powder and rotary polishing with abrasive paste. In another technique called enamel microabrasion a mixture of silicon carbide and weak hydrochloric acid is applied on the teeth with help of a rotary. Enamel microabrasion gives a glazed appearance on the teeth. The technique removes intrinsic teeth stains that cause by decalcifications, fluorosis etc. Bleaching stained teeth involves vital bleaching and non-vital bleaching. Vital bleaching involves bleaching teeth that have turned yellow or brown due to intrinsic discoloration and fluorosis. Bleaching of stained teeth is also done with hydrogen peroxide and carbamide and is done quite carefully to protect the soft tissue from the harmful effects of the bleaching agents. Whitening strips are also available in the markets that are impregnated with hydrogen peroxide. These strips can be used at home to maintain the already whitened teeth. Nonvital bleaching is done by placing a mixture of sodium perborate and 30% hydrogen peroxide in the pulp chamber of the tooth for about a week. Surgical procedures like dental caries or materials removal is carried out if stains occur due to such objects. Sometimes teeth stains may also require dental implants and dental extractions.

Anyone whose teeth has stained quite significantly to make them look unsightly and also may cause pain is eligible for the treatment.

If the teeth stains are not very evident and do not cause any problem may not require treatment.

Yes, there can be side effects of removal of teeth stains like frequent tooth cleaning as the process results in removal of the enamel.

Post treatment guidelines for removal of teeth stains are avoiding smoking, acidic food and drinks, tea and coffee and very cold or very hot foods.

It takes a just a few hours to remove the stains from teeth.

The price of teeth stain removal in India ranges from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 50,000.

Yes, the results of the treatment are permanent.

Alternatives to the treatment is to brush and floss properly, brush teeth at least twice a day, avoiding chewing tobacco and smoking, excessive wine consumption and limiting tea and coffee consumption.