Healthy human teeth are usually a pearlescent shade of yellowish off-white, but many people are born with conditions that give their smiles different colorations. Fortunately, cosmetic dentistry offers a range of treatments that can resolve these issues and make it easier for someone to feel confident in their smile. Here’s a brief guide to a few inherited conditions that can affect the color of your teeth and how your dentist can address them.
Which Genetic Conditions Can Discolor Teeth?
A few genetic conditions that can discolor teeth include:
- Dentinogenesis imperfecta: This condition causes a person to develop grey baby and adult teeth.
- Amelogenesis imperfecta: This condition results in yellowish-brown teeth with soft, fragile enamel that is especially prone to damage.
What Other Genetic Factors Affect the Color of My Teeth?
The color of your teeth can also be affected by factors like:
- Thin enamel: Some people are born with thinner enamel than others, and this can leave the teeth with a yellower appearance.
- Transparent enamel: Some people have less white enamel that lets more light pass through it, resulting in a yellower smile.
- Intrinsic staining: Some people’s enamel is more vulnerable to stains.
Dental discoloration can also be caused by poor oral hygiene, excessive consumption of foods and beverages that are high in pigments and dyes, and tobacco use.
How Can My Dentist Help?
In addition to cleaning your teeth and recommending better oral hygiene habits, your dentist can address dental stains with cosmetic dentistry. This can include treatments like teeth whitening, which is a noninvasive way to lift stubborn dental stains and brighten the smile, or porcelain veneers, which can conceal even extensive defects and beautify a grin in as few as two appointments. In many cases, discoloration can be easily addressed with dental bonding, a simple and brief procedure that can conceal flaws such as stains, chips, cracks, and gaps with lifelike tooth-colored composite resin.
Don’t let stubborn stains and discoloration make you hesitant about showing off your grin. Consulting with your dentist can help you find the best way to achieve a gorgeous smile that you will be eager to flash at friends, family, and coworkers.
About the Author
Dr. Louis Olberding earned his dental degree at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry and has received extensive postgraduate training through Spear Education. He is proud to be a member of the American Dental Association, the Lincoln District Dental Association, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. His office in Lincoln offers general, restorative, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry. If you are frustrated with stubborn dental stains, contact his office online or dial (402) 488-2325.