Question:
I've been a coffee fiend for yonks and teeth stains come with
the territory. Usually, I rely on regular brushing and scaling by my
dentist to eliminate the stains but I wonder if there are better, more
lasting dental treatments to prevent staining (abstinence from coffee is
not an option).
Are there any folks out there with capped teeth or veneers? How well do
these surfaces withstand staining?
Answer:
I just happen to be a dentist. Stains can take hold of teeth in many ways.
The most common stain is caused by the pellicle coat of the tooth. Shortly
after teeth are professionally cleaned, the squeaky clean enamel becomes
covered by a protein coating called a pellicle. It is this coating to which
bacterial plaque and stains adhere. Teeth of older individuals can have
hairline cracks in the enamel surface which can also stain. Difficult
stains such as those from espresso usually require a professional cleaning
for removal. Never use a heavier bristle toothbrush, bristles should always
be soft. You can damage your gingival tissues (gums) with stiff bristles or
over aggressive brushing. As for preventing stain, it has been my
experience that the patient who brushes and flosses diligently has less
staining than the one who does not.
I wonder about this as well. There are several toothpastes that claim to
remove teeth staining; have any veteran coffee drinkers tried them? I think I
may ask my dentist about this.
I started using one of the newer stain removal pastes, Colgate Total, and
also Crest's formula. Without connecting the two together, I started
noticing that my teeth became very sensitive. VERY. SO much so that I
talked to my dentist, and the first thing he asked was, "have you changed
toothpastes"? He said that probably half of the sensitivity issues he
deals with lately is a result of the recent marketing efforts of these
toothpastes, which most of the major manufacturers are now offering. My
wife and I BOTH experienced the same set of problems. My dentist said he
was surpised that the package doesn't at least contain a warning. In any
event, if you start using one of these pastes, keep this in mind, if you
start noticing increased sensitivity. It took around two weeks for my
teeth to return to "normal".
