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A snow-white smile, which is also often called “Hollywood”, is quite often the dream of many people and an excellent decoration for the appearance and presentability of a person. In order for her to be truly awarded with such a loud name, she must meet many criteria, including the correct bite, and even dentition, and white and clean enamel, and the absence of plaque on the teeth. But, not everything always corresponds to the norms, in this article we will try to figure out what to do if the tooth enamel still began to darken.
The main objective of the article is to replenish knowledge about teeth and tooth enamel, about the causes and consequences of its darkening, as well as about ways to prevent this process.
Characteristics of tooth enamel
The tooth itself is made up of several components. The first three are hard tissues (enamel, dentin, dental cement), the fourth element is soft tissue (dental pulp). As for enamel, it is considered the surface layer of the crown of the tooth, and consists of minerals that provide high hardness (this hardness alone still has a drawback – rather strong brittleness). The thickness of the enamel depends on the place where it is located. The thickest sections are located in the upper part of the dental crown and reach two and a half millimeters. Enamel is characterized by being almost translucent, so the visible color is often influenced by the dentin. A healthy tooth is characterized by the yellow color of dentin, but with age it still noticeably darkens.
Darkening and staining of enamel
These two concepts are interrelated. Most often, dental patients in their assumptions confuse the process of darkening the tooth itself and the staining of tooth enamel. While many coffee, wine, and cigarette drinkers are well aware of how these things affect discoloration, it’s easy enough to get rid of this stain using a regular toothbrush.
Nowadays, there are many fairly affordable ways to whiten teeth. A specialist who is professionally proficient in this skill will qualitatively eliminate all coloring substances that remain on the enamel after drinking wine, cigarettes and coffee.
As for its structure and properties, it itself is translucent and has a slightly noticeable white tint. The color of the teeth that we observe directly and perceive as the color of the enamel is most often the color of the dentin, which is under the tooth enamel. Sometimes, even professional whitening or good and diligent care does not help to see a snow-white smile, because the enamel will be in order, but since it is translucent, darkening of the dentin is observed (it occurs due to age-related or painful changes, or from genetic heredity).
And if the problem is observed even despite all external methods, then the reasons must be sought inside the body.
The main factors of tooth darkening
There are enough factors due to which a person’s teeth change their color. If he determines the one that suits his case, then he can quite easily prevent further negative consequences. The list of the main causes of darkening of the teeth can include:
- Failure to comply with basic hygiene rules: one of the most common causes. Due to such inactivity, plaque accumulates on the teeth, which consists of microorganisms and the remnants of the food that a person consumes throughout the day. If this approach to personal dental hygiene is repeated from day to day for a long amount of time, then over time it can lead to compaction and darkening of all residues. The compacted shell covers and distorts the natural color of the tooth. Outwardly, they will appear darker and duller.
- The second most common reason is tobacco smoke: due to its properties and the content of resinous substances in it, the composition of the smoke gradually covers the teeth in layers and they turn yellow. This type of plaque is best removed by a non-contact cleaning at the dentist and has no side effects in the form of pain or harm. Dentists recommend that smokers do it at least once every six months.
- Also, the consumption of coffee, black tea, berries, juices, and products that contain dyes of natural or synthetic origin can also lead to a change in the color of tooth enamel. Do not rush to give up all this. All you have to do is brush your teeth regularly after meals and use a whitening toothpaste to keep your smile white. Otherwise, this will lead to the fact that sooner or later the condition and color of the tooth enamel will no longer allow them to return to their former whiteness by independent actions and you will have to seek help from specialists and carry out a professional teeth whitening procedure.
- Caries is the fourth most common cause of tooth discoloration. It itself is formed as a result of the interaction of two factors. Firstly, it is not enough good dental care or its complete absence. Secondly, it is the abuse of sweets. In combination, these phenomena lead to the development of caries, which eventually becomes the cause of stains on the teeth, which eventually become pigmented and darken (it is recommended to treat a tooth in the event of caries immediately after the appearance of pain and stains).
- The tooth changes in color due to the substances used in the filling. More modern remedies do not have such a side effect, but those that were used literally ten years ago are still capable of giving a similar side effect. Darkening in many patients of dental clinics is the result of “metal fillings” from amalgam. Modern fillings do not have such shortcomings, therefore, if they are present, it is advisable to contact a specialist and replace them.
- A tooth injury can lead to darkening: this occurs due to damage to blood vessels and nerves.
- Tooth discoloration is provoked by the intake of certain types of antibiotics (for adults they are not dangerous in principle, since they accumulate only in the rudiments of teeth that form in the fetus), therefore such an antibiotic as tetracycline is forbidden to be taken by pregnant women.
- A disease called fluorosis: occurs in people who live in areas where drinking water contains too much fluoride.
- Heredity: diseases that were passed on to you from your parents can also affect the general condition of the teeth, despite all the efforts in hygiene.
- Aging: with age, the teeth darken and their shape undergoes changes (only a correction from a specialist will help here). Over time, teeth are subject to natural abrasion, but modern dentistry can offer many ways to restore the former beauty of a smile through the service of “teeth restoration” and prosthetics.
Prevention of darkening of the enamel
After the patient gets rid of the darkening and restores the whiteness of the tooth enamel, any qualified dentist will explain to him the need for preventive measures that are aimed at preventing the recurrence of such a scenario in the future.
The most important recommendations will be the implementation of high-quality and diligent brushing of the teeth several times a day, namely in the morning, at night before going to bed and after each meal. There are recommendations on the time you should spend on this process (the procedure takes at least 3 minutes). Yes, a toothbrush is not always at hand, so in such cases you need to rinse your mouth with warm water, rinse, or chew gum for no more than five minutes.
You should also read the recommendations on choosing the most useful toothbrush for maintaining the quality of your teeth. Its average hardness will not only keep your teeth clean after eating, but will also ensure the safety of tooth enamel in the long term.
It is worth considering carefully the choice of toothpaste. Depending on the specifics of the region of residence (is there a lot of fluoride in local water) and on individual characteristics, you need to choose a toothpaste with one or another content and with certain properties to eliminate problems. Do not believe the advertisement that the toothpaste has a composition that allows you to solve all problems at once. A quality paste from an honest manufacturer will promise to eliminate up to 2-3 problems, depending on the composition itself.
Regular consumption of clean water is useful (after each meal and during the day you need to drink one and a half to two liters).
If you care about a snow-white smile, then you need to minimize the use of drinks with dyes, as well as tea and coffee (the same goes for juices). But one moment solves the problem. If you get used to drinking these teeth-bad drinks through a straw, you’ll be fine.
In the fight against the small plaque accumulated during the day, vegetables and fruits help well. Therefore, cucumbers, carrots and apples are the best friends of teeth.
It would be useful to mention folk methods for the preservation and whiteness of teeth (sage and basil must first be crushed and transferred to a tightly closed jar). When used as an additional remedy, these plants not only enhance the whitening effect, but also have an antibacterial effect, affect the prevention of bleeding from the gums. Another couple of useful properties have fenugreek seeds. A decoction made from them is used to rinse the mouth, which ultimately leads to whitening and strengthening of tooth enamel. The infusion can be prepared independently from the following elements: coriander (2 teaspoons), mint leaves (three spoons), anise seeds (1 spoon). All this is poured with 600 milliliters of boiling water and infused for half an hour (it is better to store the broth in the refrigerator). Also, 1-2 times a month, you can brush your teeth with the addition of sea salt or soda to the paste. At the same time, after the procedure, it is recommended to rinse the oral cavity very carefully and not to abuse the number of attempts in 31 days, otherwise you may face the detrimental consequences of enamel destruction with large abrasives.