Avoiding and being aware of brown spots are important elements of excellent dental care. Brown patches on your teeth might be obvious or undetectable. They come in a variety of colours, from yellow to dark brown. Some brown spots appear as mottled patches, while others appear as lines. They can be shaped in a variety of ways, from uneven to very uniform.
Brown spots on teeth are frequently associated with poor oral hygiene. They could also indicate a health problem, such as celiac disease.
There are several causes of brown spots including:
Foods & Beverages
Chromogens are compounds found in many dark-coloured foods and beverages. These compounds, like tannic acid in red wine, can lead to stains on teeth.
These stains might become permanent over time, particularly if a person has poor oral hygiene. Artificially coloured and dyed foods and beverages can also cause considerable discolouration of the teeth.
Nicotine & Tobacco
These contain particles that can adhere to the tooth enamel’s small pores. The particles accumulate over time and can cause stained teeth. Stains on teeth due to smoking, chewing, and dipping become darker and more difficult to remove over time.
Dental Decay
The sugars that travel through the mouth are consumed by plaque and tartar bacteria. Acids are produced as a result, which then weakens the enamel. Plaque and tartar adhere to the teeth for long periods due to their thick, filmy nature —causing the acids to continuously deteriorate the enamel.
Eventually, the yellowish layers of the tooth beneath become increasingly visible. Therefore, the teeth may seem yellowish-brown as a result. With more time, acids can drill a hole, or cavity, through the tooth if the decay is serious enough. These holes have a dark colour.
Even minor tooth breaks and fissures can allow bacteria to enter the mouth and cause decay. When bacteria enter gaps around the borders of tooth fillings or crowns, many patients acquire black spots of dental decay.
Enamel Hypoplasia
A disturbance in development causes enamel to be firm but thin, resulting in this disease. Chalky, white, or yellowish-brown patches may appear on the curves of teeth. Enamel hypoplasia is a condition that can be acquired, but it can also be present at birth. If present at birth, it is known as amelogenesis imperfecta.
Ageing
Stains may appear as people age. This can be induced by several causes that accumulate over time, including:
- Surface discolouration from food, drink, or tobacco
- Darkening dentin, which surrounds each tooth and makes up the layer beneath the enamel
- Thinning enamel
Fluorosis
Too much fluoride can discolour teeth, particularly in youngsters under the age of eight. Fluorosis is the medical term for this type of tooth discolouration. It might show up on the teeth as white or grey streaks.
It can also cause dark brown patches and pits in severe cases. Fluorosis has symptoms that are similar to those of tooth decay, but it is usually harmless.
Some other causes of stained teeth include genetics, old dental work, certain medications, and celiac disease. Depending on what type of stains on teeth you have developed, home remedies, over-the-counter treatments, and professional dental procedures can fix spots on teeth.
If you want to remove brown spots from your teeth, get an appointment at Dr Nick Addario’s dental office in Chula Vista.