TEETH STAINING

Staining of teeth refers to discoloration of teeth due to either intrinsic or extrinsic causes. 

CAUSES

Intrinsic

• Pulp hemorrhage
• Pulp necrosis
• Metastatic calcifications
• Iron overload
• Chromogenic Bacterial overload
• Antibiotics 

Extrinsic

• Diet (wine,tea,coffee)
• Amalgam fillings
• Caries
• Tobacco products

CLINICAL FACT 

•  Once, a patient came to the clinic with a very characteristic appearance of stained teeth. There was a continuous black line along the scalloped gingival margins of the teeth which would recur after every 3-4 months of scaling. He also told that his child was facing the same problem. Later, we found out that they both were sharing the cutlery with which they were consuming food. We asked him to get a blood test done to see his iron levels which came out to be normal and then it was found that the chromogenic bacterial overload was high and that he was transferring the same to his son. Hence, he was advised to get his scaling procedures done every 4 months and also to avoid sharing cutlery with his son.

TETRACYCLINE STAINING 

• It's a very characteristic staining causing greyish discoloration of teeth and yellow discoloration under fluorescent light. 
• Occurs in patients who are on a prolonged treatment of tetracycline for underlying bacterial etiology.

MANAGEMENT

• Avoid eating food that stains your teeth
• Get a regular scaling scheduled ( every 6 months )
• Avoid sugary food that results in caries
• Get a RCT done for pulp necrosis
• Teeth whitening procedures
• Laminates