Can You Do Anything About My Teeth Being Different Shades?

Dentist Blog

With so many advertisements promoting shiny white teeth, you might feel a little self-conscious over blemishes on your teeth, or if your teeth aren't all the same color. It's very common for people to have some teeth be shades darker or lighter than other teeth, and this can be caused by age, your diet, genetic factors, or even your brushing habits. It is possible to treat your teeth so the color evens out, but it's important to know the cause of the discoloration, and to let a professional give you advice on how to deal with it.

What Causes Discoloration?

It's hard to pin down just one single cause for tooth discoloration. The foods you eat and liquids you drink can leave superficial stains on your teeth, and smoking can cause deeper stains. The acidity of the foods you eat can also wear away at your teeth's enamel unevenly, which is what can cause them to start looking as though they don't match.

If you encountered high levels of fluoride as a child, this can lead to spots on your teeth that are much whiter than the rest of your teeth. This is called dental fluorosis, which is extremely concentrated patches of enamel. The good news is that these areas are particularly resistant to decalcification; however, in more severe cases, sometimes bleaching is not enough to hide these spots.

Can You Make Your Teeth More Even?

The short answer is that, yes, there is usually some form of treatment that can even out your teeth's colors.

The longer answer is that how to take care of it depends on what's causing the issue. For example, superficial stains can often be taken care of using a whitening toothpaste; these contain abrasive agents that can remove minor stains that come from foods and liquids, and won't make the discoloration worse.

However, if stains are caused by decalcification – typically a result of poor dental hygiene or a genetic factor – something like teeth bleaching may only make the difference in shading even worse. In cases like these, your dentist may recommend a process called dental bonding, which removes some enamel from the discolored spots and replaced by a composite. Think of it like getting a filling, but instead of for filling a cavity, it's for making sure your teeth match.

Is There Anything You Can Do At Home?

If you're trying to fix your teeth at home using only over-the-counter treatments, it might be a little tougher. Most over-the-counter options use abrasives or bleaching techniques, which won't work on all types of stains and discoloration, and can even make it worse.

If you can use whitening strips, gels, or toothpastes, make sure to apply the product evenly so that it is evenly dispersed; some unevenly matched teeth can be caused by unequal distribution of a bleaching agent, so take your time. You can also look for products like toothpaste that try to remineralize your teeth's enamel. Combine that with altering your diet to include less acidic and sugary foods, and even if this does not solve the problem completely, there may still be a noticeable difference. Talk with a dentist like John P Poovey DMD PC for more information.


6 August 2016

The Reasons Why You Should Get A Root Canal
