Some people may think that the only option available to them when their teeth are stained is to whiten those teeth either at the dentist's or using a home dental whitening kit. However, several other options exist for those who want to get rid of stains in their teeth. This article discusses some of those additional options that may be helpful in getting rid of the stains in your teeth.

Habit and Dietary Changes

One of the remedies that you can consider if you would like to deal with the stains in your teeth is to make some changes to your diet and habits. For instance, you can stop smoking in case the habit has caused your teeth to become discoloured. You may also stop eating certain foods and drinks, such as coffee. These dietary changes should be accompanied by proper oral hygiene practices, such as brushing twice each day. The abrasives in your toothpaste will then remove the external stains gradually.

Professional Tooth Polishing

The option above (dietary changes) may not produce results as quickly as you may desire. Faster results can be obtained by visiting a professional, such as a dentist or a dental hygienist, who can polish your teeth in order to remove the extrinsic stains on those teeth. That professional will assess the magnitude of the staining before selecting the right polishing materials and techniques. For instance, he or she may add some bleaching agent to an abrasive paste so that the stubborn stains can be removed from the surface of your teeth.

Dental Veneers

The staining of your teeth can also be resolved by placing dental veneers on your teeth. Dental veneers are thin strips of a material, such as porcelain, that can be fitted onto the crowns of your stained teeth. Those veneers will then conceal the discoloured teeth. This option is usually helpful for people with intrinsic (internal) stains. However, the placement of veneers may require the dentist to remove some of the external surface of your teeth so that the veneers can fit properly without making your teeth to look abnormally large or long.

Each of the options above has its own pros and cons. Furthermore, not everyone may be a suitable candidate for a given option. It is therefore imperative that you have a discussion with a dentist about the stains on your teeth. The dentist will assess the condition of your teeth and then recommend the most appropriate option for addressing your concern.