Worried about stained teeth? Here’s a solution

We’ve heard time and again, “Not to judge a book by its cover”. Yet, it is human nature to make an opinion based on one’s appearance.

One of the first things that people notice in others is their teeth. And why not? After all, your smile has more of an effect on what others perceive about you than you think. They are a standout feature.

Many people believe that their smile affects their chances of employment in the job market or even attracting a person of the opposite sex.

In this time and era, where social media has taken over our lives so much that people feel obliged to give a minute to minute feed about their happenings through photos, you should make sure your smile is looking as good as possible.

An individual with opaque paper white, brown or black stains on their teeth may suffer from low esteem. These stains are classic signs of dental fluorosis. Some teeth may appear rough and have pitting. It usually affects the upper front teeth but may also affect other teeth.

Dental fluorosis only occurs when younger children ingest excessive fluoride, from any source (fluoridated drinking water, table salt, milk, infant formula, sea foods, fluoride tablets, toothpastes, mouth-rinses, fluoride varnishes and gels), over long periods when teeth are developing under the gums. Once teeth break through the gums, you cannot develop fluorosis. In other words, critical ages are one through four years of age up to the age of eight. Fluorosis is no longer a risk when teeth are fully erupted.

Treating stained teeth

There are several treatment options available depending on the severity of the condition, cost and invasiveness of the procedure.

Microabrasion: This is the removal of a small amount of superficially stained enamel of the affected tooth/teeth. It is done in a controlled manner so that the enamel removed is as minimal as possible. It is usually done for mild to moderate fluorosis. The biggest advantage with this line of treatment is that it is very conservative. Microdermabrasion works well for mild stains and gives satisfactory results.

Vital bleaching: This is a teeth-whitening procedure that can eliminate or reduce fluorosis stains. Since the affected areas are too white, if the normal areas of enamel can be lightened (using teeth whitening treatments) the mismatch becomes less obvious. It is not advisable to go for bleaching in individuals below the age of 18. Excellent results may be achieved if the whitening treatment is done in the clinic by a dental professional followed by home bleaching kits.

Direct veneers: This is a great solution for moderate to severe fluorosis (brown/black stains). A thin layer of the tooth structure is removed and replaced by a composite (white) filling material. Several shades are available with resin based composite materials so a preferred one is picked by the patient.

Indirect veneers: This is a more superior line of treatment. In contrast to direct veneers, indirect veneers involve a lab-made porcelain veneer that replaces the removed tooth structure.

Indirect veneers are more durable and aesthetically more pleasing. In short, there is not one specific treatment option that fixes all cases of fluorosis. You as a patient and the dentist need to work hand in hand to figure out what best suits you in terms of your aesthetic concern as well as knowing which treatment will be pocket friendly.

The author is a dentist based at the Ebrahim Haji Charitable Health Centre