Items Tagged With Dental Health

There are several reasons why teeth may darken, including:

• Foods/drinks. Coffee, tea, colas, wines, and certain fruits and vegetables (for example, apples and potatoes) can stain your teeth.

• Tobacco use. Smoking or chewing tobacco can stain teeth.
• Poor dental hygiene. Inadequate brushing and flossing to remove plaque and stain-producing substances like coffee and tobacco can cause tooth discoloration.
• Disease. Several diseases that affect enamel (the hard surface of the teeth) and dentin (the underlying material under enamel) can lead to tooth discoloration. In addition, treatments for certain conditions can also affect tooth color. For example, head and neck radiation and chemotherapy can cause teeth discoloration. In addition, certain infections in pregnant mothers can cause tooth discoloration in the infant by affecting enamel development.
• Medications. The antibiotics tetracycline and doxycycline are known to discolor teeth when given to children whose teeth are still developing (before the age of 8). Mouth rinses and washes containing chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride can also stain teeth. Antihistamines (like Benadryl), antipsychotic drugs, and antihypertensive medications also cause teeth discoloration.
• Dental materials. Some of the materials used in dentistry, such as amalgam restorations, especially silver sulfide-containing materials, can cast a gray-black color to teeth.
• Advancing age. As you age, the outer layer of enamel on your teeth gets worn away revealing the natural yellow color of dentin.
• Genetics. Some people have naturally brighter or thicker enamel than others.
• Environment. Excessive fluoride either from environmental sources (naturally high fluoride levels in water) or from excessive use (fluoride applications, rinses, toothpaste, and fluoride supplements taken by mouth) can cause teeth discoloration.
• Trauma. For example, damage from a fall can disturb enamel formation in young children whose teeth are still developing. Trauma can also cause discoloration to adult teeth.

How Can I Prevent Teeth Discoloration?

By making a few simple lifestyle changes, you may be able to prevent teeth discoloration. For example, if you are a coffee drinker and/or smoker, consider cutting back or quitting all together. Also, improve your dental hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly and getting your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist every 6 months.

If your teeth appear to be an abnormal color without ready explanation and, if other symptoms are also present, make an appointment to see your dentist.

What Treatment Options Are Available to Whiten Teeth?

Treatment options can vary depending on the cause of the discoloration and may include.

• Using proper tooth brushing and flossing techniques

• Avoidance of the foods and beverages that cause stains
• Bondings
• Veneers
• Using over-the-counter whitening agents
• In-office whitening procedures

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Dentistry.

Dental Health  Teeth  Tooth Discoloration 

A toothache is a pain in or around a tooth that may be caused by:

• Tooth decay
• Abscessed tooth
• Tooth fracture
• A damaged filling
• Repetitive motions, such as chewing gum or grinding teeth
• Infected gums

Symptoms may include:

• Tooth pain that may be sharp, throbbing, or constant. In some people, pain results only when pressure is applied to the tooth.
• Swelling around the tooth
• Fever or headache
• Foul-tasting drainage from the infected tooth

When Should I See a Dentist?

See your dentist as soon as possible if:

• You have a toothache that lasts longer than 1 or 2 days
• Your toothache is severe
• You have a fever, earache, or pain upon opening your mouth wide

Proper identification and treatment of dental infections is important to prevent its spread to other parts of the face and skull and possibly even to the bloodstream.

What Happens During the Dental Appointment?

Your dentist will obtain your medical history and conduct a physical exam. He or she will ask you questions about the pain, such as when the pain started, how severe it is, where the pain is located, what makes the pain worse, and what makes it better. Your dentist will examine your mouth, teeth, gums, jaws, tongue, throat, sinuses, ears, nose, and neck. X-rays may be taken as well as other tests, depending on what your dentist suspects is causing your toothache.

What Treatments Are Available?

Treatment depends on the cause of your toothache. If a cavity is causing the toothache, your dentist will fill the cavity or possibly extract the tooth, if necessary. A root canal might need to be performed if the cause of the toothache is determined to be an infection of the tooth's nerve. Bacteria that have worked their way into the inner aspects of the tooth cause such an infection. An antibiotic may be prescribed if there is fever or swelling of the jaw. Phototherapy with a cold laser may be used to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with the toothache.

How Can Toothaches Be Prevented?

Since most toothaches are the result of tooth decay, following good oral hygiene practices can prevent toothaches. Good oral hygiene practices consist of brushing regularly with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, flossing once daily, and seeing your dentist twice a year for professional cleaning. In addition to these practices, eat foods low in sugar and ask your dentist about sealants and fluoride applications.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Dentistry.

Dental Health  Toothache  歯科健康