My teeth are blackening what can be done to help rectify this?

Question

I'm 31 and have probably neglected them over the years. I think my dental hygene wasn't such a priority when i was younger. I look young but when i open my mouth they look stained and are getting darker. Brushing regularly (even intensively) and using mouth wash really doesn't do much it certainly doesn't get rid of the darkening.

I have considered cosmetics becuase i think they are in some way diseased but the dentist have never even mentioned them. It is begining to get me down becuase people think that i'm unhygenic. It certainly makes me self conscious when i'm out becuase i like smiling.

I think a certain part of it is staining due to drinking red wine (they look really bad having drunk red wine) smoking doesn't help either. But the really bad bit is the top of my front teeth i think they are the worst effected of them all. It makes them look as though they are all wrotting. My girlfriend often makes remarks about how horrible they are which obviously doesn't help

Answer 1

Hi,

It's difficult to tell exactly without seeing your mouth but 'Blackening' could be caused for a number of reasons.....

First thing please try and stop smoking, most of the patients I see with severe gum problems that lead to losing their teeth are smokers, It really badly affects the gums.

The blackening is very likely due to nicotine staining, but can also be a sign that your gums are receeding, as the root surface of teeth when exposed stains a lot more as the root is more porous. Exposed roots are also more prone to decay, although your Dentist should have spotted if this is the case, and are also a sign of gum disease (very common in smokers)

Ideally you should be seeing a Dental Hygienist every 3 months if you smoke, if there is not one at your practice you can ask your dentist to refer you to one at another practice if need be as long as you have a referral letter.

Abrasive pastes like Eucryl and Pearl Drops should not be used regularly as they will roughen and abrade away the enamel and ultimately make the staining worse and your teeth sensitive , same goes for lemon juice, way too acidic, leave a tooth in lemon juice and it dissolves completely eventually!

If it is just surface staining I advise my patients to use a toothpaste containing Bicarbonate of soda and and electric toothbrush (you can get them as cheap as £12 now) this can work wonders too.

The only way to whiten teeth properly is to have them professionally cleaned by a Dentist or Hygienist and then bleached by a dentist.

The stuff sold in the shops does not contain enough peroxide (the active ingredient) to remove anything but a little suface staining.You need to have at least 10% peroxide and this strength is only legally available to dentists in the UK . To do home bleaching supervised by a dentist costs around £350 but gets fantastic results. You wear two bleaching trays for a couple of hours a night for approx 2 wks depending on lightening needed.

You can also have speed whitening done at the dentist in 1 hour and at around £650, but beware this can make your teeth and gums very sensitive! better to do it gradually over a couple of weeks when you get the same results anyway.

If the teeth are really badly stained they may need to be crowned or veneered to make a big difference.

Mention your concerns about your appearance to the Dentist at your next appointment, that's what they are there for! they may not even be aware of your concern, but should be able to discuss options with you. Good Luck!

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Before I answer your question I just want to state that I am a Dental Technologist not a Dentist. Dental Technologists only make dental prosthesis with a prescription from a Dentist and we do not give out medical advice. Thus, any comments I make are just personal thoughts and should not be taken as medical advice. So GO TO YOUR DENTIST!!!!!

Now to answer your question, since I have not seen your teeth and I do not know exactly what your stains are from I will suggest you to ask your dentist. Most stains can be bleached out if your dentist wants to go that route. The best way to bleach but it is pricey is chair side done by the dentist (takes approx. 1hours). The second best way is by getting a bleach tray from your dentist (made by a dental tech or the dentist him self) and bleach gel which you can bleach your own teeth over time (approx. 1week) (little cheaper). There are more ways you can bleach (like strips, other gels, and bleaching tooth paste) but they don’t really work very well, so forget them. If your teeth are rotting, they might need cosmetic reconstruction (Ask your Dentist!!!!). I also noticed you wrote you brush your teeth “intensively”; you might want to be careful because you could be causing damage to your gums.

Answer 3

I suggest you find a new dentist! If they are as bad as you describe and your dentist has never mentioned to you about having fillings, etc then s/he is not a very competent dentist! It sounds like you might probably need a lot of work which will work out costly but I suppose if it improves your confidence and how you feel about yourself then it has to be worth it!

With reagrds to your girlfriend making comments I would speak
to her about: Let her know you are well aware that your teeth are in a bad way, and let her know how it makes you feel when she makes remarks. If you allow it to carry on, it will just make you feel worse about yourself.

As for the smoking and the red wine maybe you should consider giving them up. Especially the smoking - there is no point spending lots of money on getting your teeth fixed if you carry on smoking as you will just encounter more problems. Smoking leads to gum disease which in the long run will result in tooth loss. As for the red wine maybe switch to white or find an alternative.

Furthermore with regards to the above answer about brushing your teeth after you have eaten or drank something do not do this. It can lead to acid erosion, which is basically results in thinning of tooth enamel. Wait at least 40-60mins after eating or drinking before brushing your teeth.

Answer 4

Think you defiantly need to go to the dentist and tell him how unhappy you feel and see if he will give them a thorough clean on the NHS. A friend of mine had the same problem and the dentist cleaned them up so well they made them look mint! If nothing can be done the only thing you can do is get a consultation for cosmetic dentistry. Please try and avoid all the naughty habits that stain like the fags and the coffee and red wine. The boots whitening system is supposed to be fantastic I have heard why not try it? you got nothing to lose. Tell your girlfriend to stop being bitchy I'm sure she is not perfect! She should be encouraging you, not putting you down and making you feel worse. I would probably agree with her if you was not bothered about how they look. xx

Answer 5

Oral-B white strips, get some smoker's toothpaste or just completely stop smoking, Listerine Whitening Mouthwash, and Crest Whitening Toothpaste.

A combination of these and you'll definitely see an improvement.

Answer 6

Try using some children's tooth paste...I heard they are much more abrasive than adult ones because children don't brush their teeth correctly.

Also, everytime you drink or eat any "coloured" thing - such as coffee, red wine, coke, candy, etc - go brush your teeth....

And finally, if that isn't enough, there is always the option to do professional whitening with a dentist.

Answer 7

Do you go to a dentist? If he can't give you a reasonable answer then go to another one. Many things could make them that way. Too much acid ie; soft drinks, red wine, smoking, poor hygiene, use the mouth wash that burns like heck. Try talking to your doctor. Dump the girlfriend with poor manners and use spell check. Rotting.!

Answer 8

Get them whitened in the dentist it will cost 200 hundred pounds its well worth it and brush your teeth as off ten as u can

Answer 9

Sounds like you are in need of some major dental advice, possibly there are hidden health issues that your dentist isn't picking up.

I would most definately get a 2nd opinion...soon! It's been said that bad teeth/gums can lead to other major health/heart issues.

Answer 10

Try bicarbonate of soda it's very good although if you drink a lot of red wine that will effect your teeth