With the growing field of cosmetic dentistry and the use of teeth whitening treatments and products, there is more a desire now than ever to have a perfect white smile.
While some people need elective procedures to fix gaps and chipped or broken teeth, the overall use of a cosmetic dentist is to remove built up stains on teeth.
What are some of the causes of teeth stains? The most common cause is a person's eating and drinking habits.
The consumption of dark colas and coffee are the most common occurrence of staining in food and drinks.
Other beverages like wines and teas also harm the teeth.
Also, acidic foods like carrots and oranges contribute to overall erosion of the enamel.
As this enamel get wore down, the natural yellow dentin, the core of a tooth, begins to show through.
Another big contributor to staining is the use of tobacco.
Smoking nicotine leaves brown deposits on the enamel which soaks into the tooth.
Chewing tobacco speeds up this process even quicker.
Doctors used to prescribe tetracycline a lot as an antibiotic and those that took this drug at an early age will have had significant discoloration during early tooth formation.
These stains tend to be intrinsic and very difficult to remove.
Those who have a habit of night grinding, which is the gnashing of teeth in their sleep, will develop micro-cracking in their teeth.
These cracks will fill with debris over the years and lead to pronounced staining at the edges.
Genetics can play a big part in staining.
Those that have a genetic disposition for thinner, translucent teeth will have more of their dentin show through and have a greater amount of micro-cracks.
This is usually more pronounced in the front teeth.
Overall your general age and habits play the biggest factors in teeth stains.
As you get older, stains are deeper, more intrinsic and can take a lot of work from a cosmetic dentist to get clean and will probably cost a lot of money.
For those that can't get stains removed and have the money, they should look into getting porcelain veneers.