Tag Archives: types of teeth stains

Types of Tooth Stains

The last time I was at my dentists he said my tooth stains were intrinsic and needed professional help. What in the world does that mean?

Katy

Dear Katy,

When it comes to teeth stains, there are generally three types– extrinsic, intrinsic, and endogenous. Each of them will require a different kind of treatment to deal with.

Extrinsic Stains

These are the easiest stains to deal with because they form on the surface of the teeth. Some examples of these would be tobacco stains or the stains that come from Peridex mouthwash. The way to take care of these is simply with brushing and a dental cleaning. Good oral hygiene will keep on top of these in most cases.

Intrinsic Stains

These are more difficult to treat. They are accumulated over years and are absorbed into the teeth by staining food, beverages, and even habits. Some examples of these would be raspberries, curry powder, coffee, tea, and smoking.

They tend to be yellowish or brownish. Often this just happens naturally as we age. Though for some it can happen quicker depending on their diet. Unfortunately, it does take more than just good oral hygiene to take care of these. In this case, the solution would be to have professional teeth whitening done.

Endogenous Stains

These stains are picked up while the teeth are developing. A mild example of this is fluorosis stains, though even these can get pretty bad. We don’t see this often in the United States because our water is carefully balanced.

On the other end of the spectrum are tetracycline stains. These will be dark brown and nearly impossible to remove with teeth whitening. Generally, the solution to these types of stains is to either get dental bonding or porcelain veneers done.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Thimmesch and Foreman.