Do you have stained teeth?

Perfectly straight, white and sparkling teeth is pretty much the dream, right? When I was younger my dentist told my parents I didn’t really need braces because “no one ever died from crooked teeth”. While this is totally true (and certainly saved my parents a lot of money!), as an adult my teeth are far from perfect.
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When it comes to straightening my teeth, I’d have to look at long-term treatments like Invisalign. Luckily, the colour of my teeth is something I can take more immediate action on! I chat to leading Australian dentist and Oral-B spokesperson, Dr Christopher Ho, to find out the common causes of teeth staining.
Common culprits
Dr Ho identifies the top causes of teeth discolouration are drinking tea, coffee and red wine, as well as smoking. “The nicotine contained within cigarettes will often be deposited as a surface stain onto the teeth and may even penetrate internally over time.” As for tea, coffee and red wine, these drinks “contain tannins which often stick to teeth and cause unsightly stains”. But if you can’t bear the thought of giving up your morning brew, there are ways to combat surface stains, which I’ll get to later!
Surprising culprits
Believe it or not, curries, tomato sauce, soy sauce and other condiments, as well as berry fruits such as blueberries and blackberries are all teeth staining offenders.
Is flossing really that important?
If you’re anything like me then every dentist visit involves a sheepish confession that you don’t floss every night. Then, post-dentist you’ll floss religiously for a week or two until you get tired of it, until your next appointment when the vicious cycle begins again. I ask Dr Ho about whether flossing is really that important, especially in terms of teeth staining and he tells me yes, yes it is! “We should floss every day, as food can get trapped between the teeth, stagnating and allowing bacteria to grow.” Not only can this bacteria cause discolouration but it can also lead to tooth decay, gum disease or chronic bad breath. Excuse me while I purchase some fresh floss…
bh recommends:
1. Colgate Total Dental Ribbon
2. Philips Sonicare AirFloss
3. Oral-B Satin Floss
Dr Ho also reckons most of us aren’t even brushing our teeth properly (eek!). He tells me most people don’t brush twice a day and for those who do, they often don’t brush for the dentist-recommended two minutes. Maybe a new toothbrush will inspire you to stick it out for 120 seconds!
Our picks are:
4. Sensodyne Daily Care Toothbrush
5. Oral-B CrossAction Power Max
6. Philips PowerUp Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush
7. Colgate MicroSonic Power360° Toothbrush
Preventing teeth discolouration
As mentioned, brushing twice a day (for two minutes each time!) and regular flossing are both important to prevent teeth discolouration. Dr Ho also recommends using a good quality fluoride toothpaste to “protect teeth against cavities and strengthen enamel”. In terms of long-term teeth protection and staining prevention, Dr Ho says it’s all about getting into the right habit. “No one wants to have dentures later in life, and developing good habits is an important strategy to look after your teeth.” One such habit he recommends is to rinse your mouth with water after consuming any of the above culprits to “dislodge some of the stains before they become stubbornly incorporated onto your teeth”. And of course, use a quality toothpaste every day!
bh recommends these daily fluoride toothpastes:
8. PRONAMEL Daily Toothpaste
9. Sensodyne Repair and Protect Toothpaste
10. Colgate Total Toothpaste
11. Oral-B 3D White Diamond Strong Toothpaste
12. Pearl Drops Extra White
Correcting staining
Whether it’s from copious amounts of coffee, a nightly red wine, or like me, from a long string of antibiotics as a kid, some of us already have stained teeth. But on the bright side (pun intended), you can whiten your teeth and achieve long-term results by using toothpastes, mouthwashes or kits that are formulated with whitening ingredients.
We love:
13. Oral-B 3D White Advanced Seal Whitestrips
14. Opalescence Go
15. Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Built-In Whitening Pen
In-the-chair treatments include composite veneers (temporary covers for your teeth) or porcelain veneers (permanent).
So, while my teeth may not be perfectly straight, at least I know there are plenty of simple strategies and formulated products I can adopt to both avoid and treat discolouration. Hello, bright, white smile!
Do you have stained teeth? What do you do to combat this?
Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?
Review them now to earn points that you can swap for free beauty products in RewardsRoom.
46 Member Comments
My teeth are just plain embarrassing. They are in terrible condition due to damage caused by medications I need to take. I’ve always tried to look after my teeth but I’m fighting a loosing battle. I need to see a dentist and have some work done but I keep putting it off.
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Whitening products used to much can damage your teeth, my are not Hollywood White Teeth Smile, like so many Celebrities have. Unfortunately I can't afford to get my teeth fixed, but I can continue to dream that I will one day. I just hope that day will Come!
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The yellow is just the enamel, it's entirely natural and whitening can cause tooth sensitivity as it strips this enamel away
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I wasn't raised to floss and only started flossing every day a few years ago. Now I can't live without flossing!
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some discolouration is not treatable, like dental fluorosis and root canal caused darkening of tooth. So only option is veneers/crowns
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I try to limit my caffeine and I use a whitening toothpaste to help keep my teeth white.
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I drink a lot of tea in the winter but ensure that I brush twice a day & floss before bed. However, I get staining beside a filling on a front tooth & the only way to fix this is to visit the dentist & they remove it easily, no injection or pain.
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I know I should floss more. Thankfully I don't drink coffee or red wine, but I'll have the occasional tea.
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I naturally have yellow teeth which annoy me but my dentist has advised me that they are stronger than average which I guess is a plus.
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I do also, but I actually do not mind it. As it is natural
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Am quite bad when it comes to flossing. It bores me so I usually only do it when my gums start to ache...so bad! I'm a thorough brusher though and do find whitening toothpastes can help. I'm a tea lover (drink between 5-8 cups a day) so that habit probably does make me suffer stains.
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I am rotating a sensitive toothpaste in my routine,it's very low mint, so I don't like it because it's too mild flavoured.
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I love whitening toothpaste. I always make sure it is a main ingredient.
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All the culprits are foods that I love and eat regularly.
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I'd love to see a team trial that compares some teeth whitening products! I'm always hesitant about them so I'd love to hear about them.
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avoid them! they cause sensitivity and erode tooth enamel - get yourself some Tooth Mousse and do it naturally and safely. Simple toothpaste like Colgate regular whitening do the job just as well.
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I have also heard they erode tooth enamel and make teeth more sensittive and actually more prone to discolouration
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All are necessary products for teeth.
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I don't floss everyday. Yup. I'm gross.
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Lucky for me I dont smoke or drink coffee. There's the occasional tea that I drink but I ensure I brush twice a day but floss every other time. Oops
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...and the acid in other berries such as strawberries counters blueberries. So keep eating berries, folks!
My dentist recommended Colgate Total too. And he told me he is concerned about all the teeth whitening products. He said teeth shouldn't be a 'glowing white'. It means that the outer enamel layer is being damaged, which is not a good thing. Tooth Mousse comes highly recommended from him, but it is only available through dentists (because of it's high fluoride content).
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I do drink coffee but I do have a good dental routine
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I need to visit the dentist and look into invisalign as well as professional whitening. Toothpaste & whitening washes aren't doing enough for me...
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I don't drink coffee so that is one hazard eliminated.
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