3 Health Conditions That May Discolor Your Teeth

Tooth staining is often caused by eating highly pigmented foods and beverages such as coffee, wines, and cherries. It can also caused by cigarette and cigar smoking, taking liquid iron supplements, and poor oral hygiene.

While these are the most common causes of dental stains, there are other reasons, such as certain health conditions, that may lead to dull or discolored teeth. Here are three health conditions that may cause your teeth to lose their brightness and what you can do about them:

Maternal Use Of Antibiotics

If your mother used the antibiotic tetracycline when she was pregnant with you, it may have led to abnormalities in your tooth structure, enamel, and dentin. Tetracycline taken while pregnant can cause a child's baby and permanent teeth to develop with a yellowish or brown tinge.

In addition to this, if you took tetracycline for a bacterial infection before you were a preteen, your teeth may take on a stained appearance as well. These types of stains are known as intrinsic stains because they are stains that develop inside the teeth as opposed to surface stains. Tooth staining that is superficial is known as extrinsic staining, and can be easily corrected with teeth whitening procedures. 

High Fever

Fevers, especially high fevers, can cause tooth discoloration. Bacterial and viral infections, coupled with fever, can lead to the development of white stains on your teeth. While these stains are often very small, they can sometimes cover a significant portion of your tooth.

Teeth commonly affected by fever stains are the two front teeth, and while bleaching and laser whitening procedures can help make the color of the affected tooth look more uniform in color, these types of stains are usually permanent.

Bonding and veneers can hide fever stains and are good alternatives to bleaching. Veneers are ceramic or porcelain coverings or "shells" that fit over and cover your teeth to disguise imperfections.

Dentinogenesis Imperfecta

Dentinogenesis imperfecta causes abnormalities in tooth development. People with this condition commonly have discolored teeth that almost look bluish-gray or yellowish-brown. In addition to discoloration, dentinogenesis imperfecta can make your teeth look translucent, and can affect a person's baby teeth as well as their adult teeth.

In addition to tooth discoloration, dentinogenesis imperfecta can also lead to weakening of the teeth and predispose the person to dental chipping and tooth loss. Dental bonding and, to a lesser extent, tooth bleaching can help restore normal color to the teeth.

While cosmetic procedures can help improve the appearance of the teeth in patients affected by dentinogenesis imperfecta, tooth restorations, crowns, and composites may be required to repair structural dental damage.

If you have discolored or stained teeth, visit a cosmetic dentist for further evaluation and treatment. If you have intrinsic tooth staining that is resistant to bleaching or other teeth whitening procedures, you may need to see your physician to determine the underlying cause.


Share