Are There Some Stains Tooth Whitening Won’t Remove?
- Written by News Company
In technical terms, the teeth play a role in the initial stages of digestion by breaking down the food in your mouth. On the other hand, your teeth serve an aesthetic value in the way that they enhance your smile, therefore adding to your overall facial outlook. This desire for bright, toothy smiles has given credence to the onset of the popular action of tooth whitening.
Why tooth whitening?
One of the most popular misconceptions about our teeth is the assumption that they are naturally white. This is only true when we are younger. Our teeth have a yellow tint that occurs from a naturally occurring component that forms part of the teeth. The white part of the tooth is the enamel, and it covers the yellow parts but isn’t thick enough to completely obscure them, and they would still be visible. Tooth whitening, therefore, stems from this preconceived notion. While prevalent, the idea that having yellow teeth is terrible is not entirely accurate, but it has given rise to the demand for methods of whitening the teeth, thus enhancing the facial aesthetics.
Other than the natural yellow tint, some yellowing that appears on the teeth emerges as results of everyday living. These colours are referred to as stains or tooth discolouration and can occur from a variety of sources. One of the most notorious causes of stained teeth is coffee. Other than coffee, a range of other beverages can have the same effect on the teeth, including wine and soda. Water is sometimes a culprit; the chemicals used to treat it before it is pumped into the home making this so.
Discolouration can also occur as a result of excessive intake of sweet foods combined with poor oral hygiene. Another cause can be ill health which compromises the amount of moisture in the mouth, giving rise to more bacterial activity that affects the teeth. This problem is also observed on users of heavy drugs.
In most cases, the discolouration mentioned above can be erased by tooth whitening. Most dentists use a form of bleaching to achieve this. Some kits can be used at home to achieve similar results.
Are there stains that are whitening resistant?
As you grow older, the enamel on your teeth erodes little by little, thus exposing more of the yellow layer underneath. As this happens, it results in the stains affecting deeper parts of the tooth, thus creating what is referred to as intrinsic staining. This inherent staining is a little more challenging to get rid of entirely and the process to do so being a little more involved.
Seeking your dentist’s help to get rid of stains that are formed intrinsically will result in either of two outcomes. New enamel will have to be artificially created over your teeth to bring back some of that white colouring. This artificial enamel is introduced to the teeth either as a crown or by bonding. Crowns are formed by creating a casing that is the same colour as your teeth then placing it on top of the affected tooth. Bonding, on the other hand, is achieved by applying a bonding material straight onto the tooth. This material is then shaped to mimic the tooth by filing and is then polished.
If you desire to better your smile and make it more dynamic, speak to your dentist about the tooth whitening process. After your visit, your stained and unsightly teeth will be a thing of the past, and you will be dazzling all those around you with your bright smile in no time.