Discolouration and tooth whitening

Teeth change colour over the years. Some discolouration sits on the outside of the tooth, other kinds arise within the tooth itself. What can be done about it depends on that.

Why the colour of teeth changes

From the outside, the colouring comes from everyday life. Coffee, black tea, red wine and nicotine settle on the tooth surface. They stick particularly well where plaque is left behind. Deposits of this kind can usually be removed well.

From within, other causes are at work. Over the years the enamel becomes thinner. Beneath it lies the dentine, that is the yellowish substance of the tooth, and it then shows through more strongly. Certain medicines can change the colour as well, if they were taken while the teeth were forming. And a single tooth often becomes darker when its nerve has died.

What a professional clean achieves

During a professional clean we remove plaque, tartar and discolouration that has settled on the surface. Afterwards the teeth often look brighter, because they show their own colour again. The basic colour of the tooth does not change as a result. Anyone who would like lighter teeth needs a whitening treatment for that.

How a whitening treatment runs with us

First we check whether your teeth and your gums are healthy. Before the treatment we cover the gums, so that the agent acts on the teeth only. Then we apply a gel with hydrogen peroxide, that is the active ingredient that lightens the colouring within the tooth. Once it has taken effect we rinse it off again.

Crowns, bridges and fillings do not lighten along with them. They keep their colour, even when your own teeth become brighter. If they then look too dark, they can be matched in colour later. We talk this through with you beforehand.

What you can expect afterwards

Many patients feel a twinge with cold in the first few days. That is a usual accompanying effect and it mostly settles down by itself. A toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help you feel comfortable again sooner.

A single dark tooth

After root canal treatment a tooth sometimes discolours from within. Whitening from the inside can then help, usually over several short sessions. If a tooth like that bothers you, we look at it and discuss with you what is possible. Do give us a call about it.