Tooth Staining

Discoloration of teeth can result from a number of sources:

• tobacco
  • tea, coffee and tannin heavy foodstuffs, such as red wine can give a brownish staining
  • foods with an abundance of chlorophyll cause green stains as does an excessive exposure to copper or nickel
  • restorative materials such as amalgam may turn adjacent areas of teeth black or grey. In addition, white filling materials may absorb some staining over time
  • medications like Chlorhexidine, a mouthwash, can result in yellow-brown stains near the gums on teeth. Also, some medications, such as tetracycline antibiotics, may become incorporated into the structure of a tooth during their formation, causing intrinsic staining of the teeth.
  

• bacteria stains may cause colors varying from green to black to orange.