Stained Teeth and Discolouration

Know your stain

What causes teeth discolouration?

Dentists usually sort discoloured teeth into two groups.

Surface (extrinsic) stains sit on or in the outer enamel. Common causes are:

• Coffee, tea, red wine, cola and strongly coloured foods such as curries and berries
• Smoking and vaping
• Plaque and tartar build-up that has picked up stain
• Some mouthwashes when used long term

Internal (intrinsic) discolouration comes from within the tooth:

• Ageing. Enamel thins over time and lets more of the yellower layer underneath show through.
• Trauma. A knock can damage the nerve, and the tooth may slowly turn grey or dark, sometimes years later.
• Medicines. Some medicines taken while teeth were forming in childhood can cause banding or grey tones.
• Too much fluoride in childhood, which can leave white or brown flecks.
• Old fillings and decay, which can show through as grey or brown patches.

When whitening is not enough

What if whitening does not work?

When stains are deep, or only one or two teeth are affected, covering the colour often gives a better result than trying to bleach it:

• Composite bonding covers spots and stains with tooth-coloured resin in one visit, without drilling in many cases.
• Composite veneers cover the whole front surface of a tooth and are built in the chair.
• Porcelain veneers are thin, lab-made shells that resist staining well and can change colour and shape together.
• Crowns suit a discoloured tooth that is also heavily filled or weakened, and same-day crowns are available at Odontologie for suitable teeth.

Many people combine treatments, whitening first so new bonding or veneers are matched to the lighter shade. Our smile makeover page explains how those plans come together.