| What causes tooth staining? | | | | Fluoride is known to cause tooth discoloration. If a child |
| There is no "normal" shade of white a person's teeth | | | | ingests excessive levels of fluoride (swallowing |
| are supposed to be . Human teeth can and will show | | | | toothpaste) during tooth formation tooth staining can |
| variation in their specific shade of white. | | | | occur. |
| • Chromogenic Foods: Many of the foods and | | | | • Aging: Your teeth will naturally darken as you age. |
| beverages that you consume can stain your teeth… | | | | • Tooth Decay: Areas where your teeth are |
| like coffee, tea, cola and red wine. | | | | decaying will be brown to black. The staining can show |
| • Tobacco Products: Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and | | | | up on parts of the teeth that are intact. |
| smokeless tobacco can cause tooth staining. | | | | • Tooth Trauma: Teeth that have experienced |
| • Medications: The use of some medicines can | | | | trauma (like being hit in an accident) can discolor. In |
| cause tooth discoloration. As an example, the antibiotic | | | | some cases this discoloration may be an indication that |
| tetracycline (as well as its derivative compounds | | | | the nerve inside the tooth has died. |
| minocycline and doxycycline). | | | | |