Three Unusual Causes Of Teeth Discoloration

Posted on: 18 November 2015

When it comes to teeth discoloration, the usual suspects include colored drinks, teeth decay, medicine, and aging. However, there are other causes of teeth staining you may not know about. Here are three examples of unusual causes of teeth staining:

Root Canal Treatment

The treatment involves removing the infected/inflamed pulp of the tooth. This is followed by careful cleaning and disinfection of the affected tissues, after which the tooth is sealed and restored. You need this treatment if you have a serious infection that has reached the pulp of the tooth.

Unfortunately, discoloration is one of the undesirable complications of root canal treatment. This can happen in several ways, for example, remnants of dead pulp tissues inside the tooth may show up as discolored areas. Medication used to treat the infected pulp may also cause discoloration. Talk to your dentist about internal bleaching treatment because external bleaching will not work on this form of discoloration.

Dental Restorations

Tooth discoloration can also occur after dental restoration. For example, after living with white tooth fillings for a long time, they may start to discolor due to degradation and natural wear. In many cases, this is something you cannot avoid.

It's not just white fillings you have to worry about; even amalgam (an alloy of silver and other metals) fillings cause discoloration since they are in contact with surrounding tooth structures. What is more, discoloration caused by dental restorations isn't likely to be responsive to conventional bleaching. Replacing the existing dental work is usually the best way to reclaim your teeth color.

Genetic Staining

You may also inherit different forms of teeth discoloration. For example, your genes, which you inherit from your parents, determine your teeth color. This is one reason some people have naturally whiter teeth than others. Additionally, congenital diseases and genetic disorders may also contribute to teeth staining.

Amelogenesis imperfect is a good example of an inherited condition that can lead to teeth discoloration. The condition is characterized by thin and abnormally formed enamel that stains easily.

Treatment depends on the type of discoloration you have. For example, if it is a congenital disease, then you have to manage the underlying health condition even as you deal with the dental discoloration. In most cases, you need dental restorations to mask genetically induced tooth discoloration.

Unless you are sure you are dealing with surface staining, don't just buy bleaching products and start whitening your teeth at home. Consult a dentist to know the type of discoloration you have so he or she can prescribe the perfect treatment. 

For professional dental work, contact an office such as Artistic Dentistry by Gerard Wasselle, DMD.

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