The History of Dentistry

What You Should Do To Prevent Tooth Discolouration?

19 July 2016

Regina Carlson

Tooth discolouration is a tooth problem in which your tooth develops an undesirable shade other that its natural white pigment. Discoloured teeth not only ruin the good looks in your mouth but can also be an indication of other severe tooth problems in the future. It is caused by several factors such as the consumption of tooth staining beverages, physical damage to the teeth or even genes. Here are a few things you can do to prevent tooth discolouration:

Use a Protective Mouth Guard When Playing

If you take part in contact sports like soccer, rugby, hockey, boxing and basketball, there are high chances of suffering physical injuries on your teeth. Hard knocks against your oral cavity can severely injure your gums and other oral tissues. This can lead to internal bleeding, which causes stains on the white part of the teeth. Therefore, you should always put on a mouth guard to protect your teeth and gums against injuries and prevent the chances of tooth discolouration. Preferably, you should go for a custom-made mouth protector designed uniquely to fit you. Here, a dentist designs a mouth guard based on the impression of your mouth. The extra work involved (unlike other regular mouth guards) makes them offer better protection to your mouth.

Use a Straw for Pigmented Beverages

Pigmented or coloured drinks are a notorious cause of tooth discolouration. When taking such drinks, you should use a straw to reduce your teeth's exposure to the pigments that cause discolouration. These drinks include tea, coffee, grape juice, cranberry juice and soda. By using a straw, you can conveniently direct the drink to the back of your mouth for swallowing, reducing its contact period with your teeth.

Clean Your Teeth Thoroughly

After brushing and flossing your teeth, look at them keenly in the mirror to ascertain that you have gotten rid of all the dirt and food remnants. If not, brush or floss them again. Failing to clean your teeth well lead to the accumulation of plaque. The plaque houses fungi and bacteria, which can lead to an orange or yellow discolouration of your teeth after some time. You should consult your dentist for advice on how to clean each set of your teeth from the incisors at the front of the mouth to the molars at the back. This will help you position and orient your toothbrush appropriately when cleaning to get the best results. 

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