Dental Stains
Definition: Very simply, the discoloration of your teeth due to a variety of factors. Dental stains can be
broken down into two categories:


Extrinsic staining - Pigmented deposits found on the tooth surface that are caused by
topical or external agents.
Intrinsic staining - Stains incorporated within the tooth structure.
Causes:


Extrinsic staining:
o Plaque
o Calculus
o Foods and beverages
o Tobacco
o Certain types of bacteria and
topical medications
Intrinsic staining:
o Dental
restorations
(i.e.
corroded amalgam fillings)
o Dental decay
o Trauma to a tooth
o Necrotic or infected nerve
o Infections
o
o
o
o
Enamel defects
Salivary dysfunction
Poor oral hygiene
Small grooves, pits or fissures
in the tooth surface.
o Medications (i.e. Tetracycline)
o Genetic defects
o Hereditary diseases such as
hypocalcification or fluorosis
that affect dentin and enamel
development
Treatment:

In-office treatment:
o Extrinsic Staining
 Professional teeth cleaning. Keeping up with your regular recall appointments will
help keep stains to a minimum.
 Professional whitening. We offer in-office, at-home and over the counter options to
meet your needs. Read more here!
o Intrinsic Staining
 This type of stain requires permanent restoration - i.e., replacing an old amalgam
filling or placing a new veneer/crown/etc.
 In some cases of hypo calcification and fluorosis, microabrasion can be performed.
When in conjunction with in-office whitening, desired results MAY be achieved.
This depends on the depth of the stain.
Strobel Dentistry, Ltd.
25 E. Washington St., Ste. 1917, Chicago, IL, 60602
(312) 726-3135 : www.strobeldentistry.com : strobeldentistry@live.com

At-home treatment:
o Extrinsic Staining only:
 Watch what you eat! Keep track of how much stain occurs how frequently with
different foods/beverages and reduce consumption accordingly. Anything that can
stain a white shirt can stain your teeth!
 Rinse with water after consuming dark, sugary and acidic foods
 Don’t smoke!
 Consider shorter recalls – getting a professional cleaning more often can reduce your
overall amount of stain.
 Brushing at least 2 times a day- especially after consumption of staining agent.
Consider an electric tooth brush!
 Over the counter whitening products (whitening strips, tooth pastes, rinses etc.) If
you choose to use a whitening tooth paste, we recommend using a sensitive
whitening tooth paste brand such as Sensodyne Whitening to prevent gum sensitivity
and recession.
Strobel Dentistry, Ltd.
25 E. Washington St., Ste. 1917, Chicago, IL, 60602
(312) 726-3135 : www.strobeldentistry.com : strobeldentistry@live.com