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Quick Questions About Teeth Staining & Discoloration

Learn why teeth become stained or discoloured, how surface stains differ from internal changes and which whitening options may be appropriate.

Teeth Staining & Discoloration

Can stained teeth be whitened permanently?

Professional whitening can dramatically lighten surface stains, but the results aren't strictly permanent, since new staining gradually accumulates from food, drinks, and daily wear. Most patients maintain their results with occasional touch-up treatments and by limiting heavily staining foods and drinks.

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Teeth Staining & Discoloration

What causes teeth to turn yellow over time?

Yellowing is usually caused by a combination of natural enamel thinning with age, which reveals the naturally yellower dentin underneath, along with staining from coffee, tea, red wine, and tobacco building up on the surface over the years. Both factors typically contribute at the same time rather than one alone.

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