What You Can Do About Brown Stains on Your Teeth

You’re feeling confident about your appearance until one day you catch a glimpse of your smile in the mirror. You notice that there are some hideous brown stains that you haven’t seen there before. How did they get there? How can you get rid of them? A cosmetic dentist is here with the answers.

Causes of Brown Spots on Teeth

There are many factors that can lead to brown stains on teeth, such as:

Food and Drink

Many dark-colored foods and drinks like coffee, wine, and berries contain acids that stain tooth enamel. These stains may eventually become permanent, especially if the person has poor oral hygiene.

Tobacco Use

Tobacco products contain particles that seep into microscopic pores in the tooth enamel and cause discoloration. With repeated use, these stains may become much harder to remove.

Tartar

Tartar forms when plaque isn’t removed by regular brushing and flossing and is instead allowed to harden. Once plaque has hardened into tartar, only a dental professional can get rid of it.

Cavities

Bacteria in plaque and tartar feast on sugars in foods you eat, weakening the tooth enamel and causing cavities. As acids eat through the enamel, the yellowish layer of the tooth beneath the enamel, known as dentin, is exposed. The teeth may then appear a yellowish-brown.

Aging

As you age, the white enamel wears down and degrades, exposing the underlying dentin. This natural process can lead to large areas of discoloration.

Celiac Disease

This autoimmune disorder, which makes you intolerant to gluten, can cause weak enamel and patches of white or brown discoloration.

Fluorosis

If you consume too much fluoride as a child, it can manifest as white or even dark brown spots on your teeth.

How You Can Get Rid of Brown Spots

There are a few ways that your cosmetic dentist can help correct brown spots on your teeth, including:

Porcelain Veneers

Veneers are ultra-thin shells of dental porcelain that are bonded to the front of your teeth to mask many kinds of imperfections, including brown stains. A small amount of enamel is removed to ensure the veneers lay flush against your teeth. The great news is that veneers can last up to a decade or even longer with very little maintenance beyond your everyday brushing and flossing.

Teeth Whitening

Over-the-counter teeth whitening might not work to get rid of discoloration, but professional whitening from your dentist certainly can. Your dentist will prescribe trays that fit your teeth perfectly, along with a bleaching gel that’s several times more potent that anything you can buy in stores or online. Simply wear your trays for a certain amount of time each day, and your stains should be a thing of the past after just a couple of weeks.

Final Word

Brown spots on the teeth may be the result of poor oral hygiene, smoking, consuming dark foods and beverages, or certain medical conditions. They may be able to be polished away with whitening products, or they may be more permanent. Either way, your cosmetic dentist has options available to you to correct your imperfections and leave you with a smile you can be proud of.

About the Author

Dr. Keane Fedosky has been providing patients at Rowlett Dental Associates with quality care since 1992, ever since earning his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Baylor University the year before. He has earned a Fellowship with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. His practice also offers both porcelain veneers and take-home teeth whitening to correct brown stains on your pearly whites. To learn more, click here to visit his website, or call (469) 299-8462.