When communicating with some people, it is impossible not to pay attention to the strange, unnatural and sometimes even frightening color of teeth. Sometimes a yellowish or grayish tint appears on them. It happens that brown spots appear directly on the teeth. All this, as a rule, indicates so-called pigmentation. How does it manifest itself, where does it come from and how to deal with it? These are, perhaps, the main questions that concern people who have encountered similar phenomena. In order to understand how to deal with such a problem, we must penetrate into its essence, find out for ourselves what are the known causes of tooth pigmentation.
External pigmentation on teeth
Among dentists, causes are usually divided into external and internal. Let's start, perhaps, with external factors. These usually include those substances that we use in everyday life, which externally stain the tooth, penetrating into the pores of its enamel.
The most dangerous factor can be called smoking, because the nicotine resins contained in tobacco give the enamel an unpleasant yellowish-brown tint. A similar substance in its effects is coffee. It is also impossible not to mention strong black tea and red wine. They also play an important role in destroying tooth enamel and giving it an unaesthetic appearance.
We must not forget about the huge number of food dyes, in which the coloring pigments cause damage. And, of course, one cannot fail to mention the stones and plaque that arise due to violation of oral hygiene rules, lack of minerals in the body and a minimal amount of solid food or even its absence in the diet. External manifestations of pigmentation on teeth are not difficult to eliminate. All you need is advice from a dentist. You will also need to use the right toothpaste.
Why does plaque appear?
Pigmented dental plaque is formed due to the following reasons:
- age-related changes;
- consumption of coloring drinks and foods;
- smoking;
- excessive consumption of sweets;
- taking tetracycline drugs;
- irregular and improper brushing of teeth;
- not enough solid food in the diet;
Tooth pigmentation is not associated with caries. Some people are genetically programmed to have dark teeth.
In addition, dental units may turn yellow due to the presence of pulpless (dead) teeth in the oral cavity.
Internal pigmentation
The situation is much more complicated with internal pigmentation, because then the internal hard tissue of the tooth is already stained. There can be a huge number of reasons for such changes in the oral cavity. One of the most common is a change in the balance of fluoride in the body. Why? Fluoride has a destructive effect on teeth, since the tissue changes its color depending on its lack or excess.
Stories are replete with cases where all the villagers had the same stains on their teeth because all the villagers drank water from the same underground springs. In some cases, staining of tooth enamel occurs due to the use of tetracycline antibiotics. It also happens that the cause of such a problem can be a filling placed as a result of dental surgery, provided that the material was made of copper amalgam.
For some, pigmentation comes with age. Hereditary factors also play a role. In children, pigmentation on the teeth can also be due to an improper diet and a sharp change in temperature in the oral cavity, for example, when consuming cold food immediately after hot food.
Classification of tooth pigmentation
Types of pigmentation are divided into two groups:
- Endogenous pigmentation that occurs in a newborn. If he is diagnosed with hemolytic disease. Or if the mother took a tetracycline antibiotic.
- Exogenous pigmentation appears as a result of food and medicinal dyes or when a tooth is injured.
Diagnostics: what methods are used in dentistry?
Science, unfortunately, has not yet made big strides in diagnosing dental pigmentation. Limitations in laboratory and clinical research, the lack of availability of high-quality and modern equipment affect the efficiency of dentists.
But, despite all the obstacles, in our country there are a huge number of specialists endowed with intelligence and experience who, after conducting only a visual examination of the patient, will be able to accurately diagnose pigmentation on the teeth. Although there are often cases when in diagnosis it is necessary to resort to modern technologies, such as radiography or orthopantomography, with the help of which the dentist studies the internal problems of damaged teeth.
Doctors have a large number of other devices and methods in their arsenal that are used in particularly difficult situations. These include, for example, microscopy or rheodentography. They allow the specialist to examine the problem in more detail. And in the study of tissues such as gums or blood vessels, a device called a reparodontograph is often used.
Is it necessary to treat such an illness?
How many people plan to treat tooth pigmentation? Most people consider the problem to be purely cosmetic. There are many reasons for such negligence on the part of patients. This includes illiteracy, arrogance, carelessness, and often, of course, fear. It always seems to the average person that now he will introduce more vegetables and dairy products into his diet, start using more expensive toothpaste, and the problem will be eliminated. But it won't work that way.
The color of the teeth will not acquire the desired snow-white shade. If such a problem arises, you should immediately contact a specialist, and the sooner you do this, the better for you. Moreover, both from the aesthetic and material side. Using special equipment, a dentist can easily rid you of external plaque on tooth enamel, identify the internal cause of pigmentation and, accordingly, prescribe a specific course of treatment in order to eliminate not only the symptoms of the disease, but also the disease itself.
Treatment of tooth pigmentation and plaque
LEVI-DENT dentistry in Lyubertsy offers the best safe and effective ways to treat tooth pigmentation and plaque:
- ultrasonic teeth cleaning – a gentle method of deep cleaning of teeth using an ultrasonic scaler;
- care using the Air Flow system – professional, gentle cleaning of teeth from plaque and deposits using a sandblasting machine;
- remineralizing therapy - a set of measures to restore the structure of teeth by artificially saturating the enamel with useful elements;
- teeth whitening ZOOM – painless whitening of a smile by 10-12 tones by applying special chemical reagents to the enamel;
- home whitening with trays – the technique involves wearing an individual tray with a mild bleaching agent.
In cases where the above procedures are contraindicated for the patient, restoration with veneers is used. Installation of microprostheses helps to hide or disguise aesthetic defects of dental units.
For pigmentation caused by systemic diseases, treatment should be comprehensive. Therapeutic therapy is aimed not only at the affected dental units, but also at the entire body. Often, in addition to dental procedures, the doctor additionally prescribes vitamins, fluoride and calcium preparations.
Colgate Simply White Night Gel
The list of common treatments is relatively small and is available to everyone. Most drugs are undesirable to use without the advice of a specialist. However, what to do when there is not always enough free time to visit the dentist, and the problem requires an immediate solution due to certain life circumstances? In such cases, you can rely on some cosmetic products, such as some toothpastes or gels.
There are an endless number of different options, but the most popular among ordinary consumers is Colgate Simply White Night gel. A group of scientists was given a task: how to whiten teeth without harming the enamel, and to do it in such a way that everyone could do it at home.
The method of application is extremely simple, as it was created from the point of view of maximum comfort.
Types and clinical manifestations of dental pigmentation
According to the etiological factors, two groups of discoloration are distinguished:
- Endogenous – caused by the influence of internal factors (diseases, tetracycline intake);
- Exogenous – caused by external factors (exposure to dyes, traumatic injuries).
The symptoms of pigmentation are difficult to confuse with any other:
- Loss of tooth enamel of its natural transparency and shine;
- The appearance of anatomical grooves on it;
- The appearance of white, yellow, brown or black spots on it;
- Its color is pinkish, yellow or gray.
The diameter of the spots can vary: from small dots on the enamel to changes in the color of the entire tooth. Discoloration is often accompanied by halitosis, bleeding and soreness of the gum tissue, and tooth mobility. They talk about the development of periodontal tissue diseases. Specific manifestations and the speed of their appearance depend on the general condition of the patient’s body, as well as the causes of the pathology:
- With hemolytic disease, tooth enamel and dentin look grayish-blue, green or brown, the enamel structure is damaged, there are signs of hypoplasia (partial/complete absence of enamel);
- Taking tetracycline antibiotics is accompanied by a gray-yellow coloration, the intensity of which depends on the total volume of the drug taken. Possible combination with hypoplasia;
- Erythropoietic uroporphyria is characterized by red staining of the enamel, hair loss, and increased sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation.
As for discoloration due to exposure to food pigments, the change in enamel color directly depends on what kind of food it was stained with.
How to use the gel?
To begin, you simply need to clean your tooth enamel using standard methods, such as a toothbrush and toothpaste. This is necessary so that there are no excess bacteria in the oral cavity and the space is ready for treatment. Then you should dry each tooth with a special swab and apply the gel to them.
It is recommended not to eat anything for 15-20 minutes. And thus, within a few days you will notice the result, and after a longer time, your smile will finally acquire that desired shine. The effect of such whitening can be observed for about one year. Then the course must be repeated.
The drug "Gluflutored"
However, not all products are as simple, effective and easy to use as the gel described above. Most drugs can be harmful if used without proper prescription from a doctor, who will instruct in detail and warn against potential risks.
The specialist will tell you how to get rid of external and internal manifestations of pigmentation, how to strengthen tooth enamel and prevent diseases. An effective way to get rid of the problem is to change the chemical composition of saliva by influencing the thyroid gland with a certain set of minerals, vitamins and fluoride for teeth. One of the most common substances used for treatment in clinical settings is Glufluored.
Get rid of plaque in the clinic
In dentistry, methods of direct whitening and plaque cleaning are used, which lightens teeth by 2-3 tones as a “bonus”. The choice of method depends on the severity of the plaque, the final goals, and the general condition of the body.
Get rid of plaque using cleaning methods
- Ultrasonic teeth cleaning
Ultrasound waves are transmitted through a special attachment, removing plaque from teeth and gum pockets. The procedure not only cleanses the teeth, but serves as a prevention of inflammatory periodontal diseases.
- AirFlow
A mixture of air, water and abrasive powder effectively removes plaque.
- Laser cleaning
This is the safest, most effective and expensive procedure. The laser not only removes plaque, it stimulates blood flow in the gums and relieves inflammation.
Whitening
- Photon This external procedure allows you to change the shade by 7-9 tones. A special composition is applied to the teeth, from which oxygen is released under the influence of light. It penetrates dentin and breaks down coloring pigments.
- Intra-canal bleaching If the tooth has darkened due to the use of medications, or during depulpation, a bleaching agent is placed directly into the cavity, followed by filling.
"Glufluored": how is it used?
It is applied quite simply. The tooth is washed with water and dried. The substance is applied to the enamel surface and disinfected after a minute. The procedure is usually repeated about twice a year. And although glufluored is inherently harmless, it still cannot be used without careful medical supervision. Because the drug requires an extremely precise order of use, as well as applying a precisely measured amount of the composition. After this procedure, the dentist usually applies bonding to the surface of the teeth.
This drug has an official name, which sounds like Monobond Plus. It helps in restoring and strengthening the connections between the surface of the tooth and the substance applied to it. This remedy is, in principle, harmless for most people. The only exceptions may be individual allergic reactions to certain substances contained in boding. But such incidents are rare.
Pigmentation
Naturally, it was necessary to first make inlays, which were also offered to the patient from a precious alloy.
The most interesting thing is that we will not talk about crowns and inlays at all, but about the treatment of caries in teeth 14 and 17, which, of course, was present on the contact surfaces of these same 14 and 17. Could it be otherwise? My experience says that it doesn't happen. For some reason, this is not obvious to many... Those who treated teeth 15 and 16 did not diagnose caries on teeth 14 and 17. The first visit, where an acquaintance and consultation took place, was at a high level. The doctor and patient were satisfied with each other, as during the entire subsequent treatment. The treatment plan was outlined and approved by the patient. So, after a couple of days we started... Let's start!
The first step was to remove the metal pin from 14. Not that I am fundamentally against metal pins... everything has a right to exist, but only if it is done correctly, and the main thing is to have its own meaning. Removing the pin seemed absolutely necessary to me. Firstly, (based on experience) we often install pins not according to technology, but screw them directly into the root filling. But this, of course, was more of a suspicion. Alas, not groundless... Secondly, a round pin in the oval section of the canal of the 15th tooth will not fulfill its function of holding the restoration of the destroyed coronal part. Thirdly... two arguments are quite enough.
The restoration was mercilessly, but carefully, destroyed with a drill so that the pin could be “knocked out” with ultrasound. Nothing unexpected happened. The pin was in gutta-percha, the canal had an oval cross-section. The restoration made no sense from either a biological or mechanical point of view. Removing the pin was simple and short. In gutta-percha, he held on, as is understandable, rather weakly. After removing the temporary filling from 16, it turned out that the mouths of the canals were not sealed, even the gutta-percha was not removed from the mouths. But considering that the canals were filled only about seven days ago, a good x-ray picture and the patient’s active reluctance to undergo repeated endodontic treatment, it was decided to restore the teeth “as is.”
Intrigue…
After freeing the long-suffering chewing teeth 15 and 16 from all temporary and non-temporary restorations and preparing them for inlays, teeth 17 and 14 were revealed. Considering that the proximal surfaces 15 and 16 were affected (in our case, they were completely absent), it was not difficult to assume the presence of carious lesions on the medial surface 17 and the distal surface 14. The assumptions were confirmed.
The drug "Remodent"
A wonderful drug with which you can both strengthen your teeth enamel and preserve it for many years is Remodent. 70% of dentists prescribe it for preventive and therapeutic purposes. It has no side effects, with the possible exception of individual allergic reactions. It is effective and easy to use.
You will need 3 g of powder per 100 ml of boiled water at room temperature. You need to rinse your mouth after eating every few days for 10 months.
Preventing stains on teeth
To avoid the appearance of stains and plaque on your teeth, you must follow several recommendations:
- Choose the right toothbrush. It is optimal to choose a teeth cleaning device with medium-hard bristles.
- After each meal, use dental floss to remove food debris in hard-to-reach places.
- Do not eat too hot or cold food. A sharp change in temperature negatively affects the condition of the enamel.
- Choose a toothpaste that is suitable in terms of abrasiveness, composition, consistency and taste.
- After consuming coloring drinks and foods, be sure to clean your mouth. This will help prevent the formation of pigmented plaque.
- Visit the dentist twice a year. Timely examination and diagnosis will help avoid caries and other dental pathologies.
You can make an appointment with a dentist in Lyubertsy on the website or by phone.
Folk remedies: what methods used by our grandmothers are effective?
It would be blasphemous not to remember folk remedies, proven by the experience of many generations. However, they should also be used in moderation, because they are extremely effective and can not only remove excess plaque, but also erase the enamel. For example, many people sometimes brush their teeth by dipping a brush in baking soda. Rubbing your teeth with hydrogen peroxide is also an equally effective remedy.
We will not deviate from ordinary products, the benefits of which were known long before us. For example, rubbing strawberries on your teeth and gums. Or you can brush your teeth with charcoal from a burnt eggplant.
