Black spots on teeth occur for many reasons and if they are not removed promptly, they will lead to unpredictable consequences. Black spots on teeth not only make patients lose their confident, bright smile but also increase the risk of other oral diseases. However, there are many methods to overcome this condition at home with only available ingredients in the kitchen or you can go to a dental facility for safe and effective treatment with modern technology.
1. Causes of black spots on teeth
Black spots on teeth can be caused by the following reasons:
1.1. Dental plaque
Dental plaque is initially ivory-yellow in color and is formed by food debris that has been left for a long time without being properly removed. Over time, the plaque is exposed to many factors in the oral environment and will gradually turn dark brown, causing loss of aesthetics.
1.2. Tooth decay
Tooth decay is a common oral disease caused by consuming too much sugar and starch that cannot be completely cleaned when brushing teeth. The symptoms are small black spots appearing on the tooth surface, bacteria in the black spots will attack the tooth structure until the tooth is damaged and cannot be retained.
There are two common types of tooth decay: mineralized tooth decay and advanced tooth decay. For mineralized tooth decay, black spots appear along the concave lines of the chewing surface, while for advanced tooth decay, there are a few holes on the outer tooth surface with a black bottom.
1.3. Eating colored foods
Some foods and drinks used every day when in contact with teeth are very difficult to clean and will gradually leave dark plaque. Black stains on teeth are often caused by regularly eating dark colored foods such as coffee, tea, red wine, etc.
1.4. Smoking
Cigarettes contain toxic ingredients that affect the mucosal cells in the oral cavity and that is also the cause of black stains on teeth. In addition, cigarette smoke is also the most common cause of bad breath in men.
1.5. Due to porcelain crowns
Porcelain crowns have the function of restoring the shape, color, size and function of a real tooth if it is damaged. In addition, when necessary, porcelain teeth are also the top choice to enhance the aesthetics of the teeth.
When covering porcelain teeth, the real teeth below will be ground down to a certain ratio to support the porcelain crown above. The porcelain crown will be firmly attached to the position to completely cover the tooth above the gum. With porcelain crowns made of metal, after a period of time, they will oxidize, leading to the tooth close to the gum turning black.
1.6. Due to antibiotics
Antibiotics can affect tooth tissue, the drug ingredients will penetrate the tooth stump, causing the tooth to become discolored. Therefore, long-term use of antibiotics is also the cause of black spots on the teeth.
2. Why should you remove black spots on your teeth?
If in a short time and handled and treated promptly, it will not cause much impact, but if not, it will lead to many bad effects:
2.1. Black spots on teeth are very aesthetic
If the black spot appears on the inside of the tooth or on the lower jaw, it is less noticeable to the person opposite. However, if the black spot appears on the upper jaw, it is very easy to recognize. This makes the sufferer feel unconfident when communicating or smiling.
2.2. Teeth with black spots cause bad breath
Black patches on the teeth are an ideal place for bacteria to grow and develop in the oral cavity, and anaerobic bacteria are the leading cause of bad breath.
2.3. Gingivitis, periodontitis
Bacteria in the black stains will attack and gradually destroy tooth enamel and damage the gums. When the gums are damaged to a certain extent, they will become infected and if not treated promptly, it will lead to periodontitis.
2.4. Gum recession, bone loss, tooth loss
Black stains that stick to the teeth for a long time will break the connection between the gums and the tooth body, thereby causing gum recession at the tooth root. In addition, black stains can develop and attack the jawbone, causing bone loss. If not treated for a long time, it will lead to tooth loss.
3. How to remove black stains on teeth at home
You can fix the condition of teeth with black stains right at home with the following methods:
3.1. Using lemon
The amount of citric acid in lemons can soften the plaque on the tooth surface, making it easy to remove, bringing whiteness to the teeth.
Perform this method by squeezing fresh lemon juice, using a toothbrush soaked in lemon juice and gently rubbing so that the solution comes into contact with all tooth surfaces and between teeth. Finally, rinse your mouth thoroughly with clean water.
Note: Should only be applied once a week to avoid damaging tooth enamel.
3.2. Use baking soda to remove black stains on teeth
Baking soda also helps whiten teeth. Baking soda can remove black stains on teeth because it can corrode tartar and soften them, while creating an alkaline environment and inhibiting the growth of other bacteria.
With this method, you can use a toothbrush to directly soak baking soda and rub it evenly on your teeth or mix a little baking soda with lemon juice and use the mixture to brush your teeth as usual.
Should only be applied once a week because baking soda is also harmful to tooth enamel if used too much.
3.3. Using table salt
Salt has both a cleaning effect and helps kill bacteria in the oral cavity, thereby preventing the development of many oral diseases.
With this method, you can sprinkle salt directly on the toothbrush or dissolve salt with a little lemon juice and brush your teeth with this mixture for a few minutes to clean your teeth.
3.4. Use dried tangerine peel
Using dried tangerine peel is also a popular method to help overcome the condition of teeth with black spots.
To perform this method, mix a small amount of finely ground dried tangerine peel with toothpaste and use the mixture to brush your teeth as usual.
You can apply this method 3-4 times/week to help whiten your teeth.
4. Fix teeth with black spots at the dentist
If the black spots on your teeth are too much that applying cleaning methods at home is not effective, you need to go to the dentist to whiten your teeth professionally:
4.1. Scaling
The method of removing tartar is performed in cases where the black spots on the teeth are tartar. At dental clinics today, the process of removing tartar is performed using modern technology, so it will not cause any pain during the process. Doctors only use the vibration of the machine to break the tartar without damaging the surrounding tooth tissue or gums.
4.2. Teeth whitening
In cases where the teeth are blackened from the dentin inside the teeth or blackened on the inside of the teeth due to endogenous factors such as tetracycline staining or drug staining, the doctor will usually prescribe a teeth whitening method.
Teeth whitening methods often require a combination of bleaching agents and laser lights to produce the best results. With the development of current technology, laser light has been upgraded a lot, helping to save customers’ waiting time, after only about 2 hours, the black stains have been removed.
4.3. Tooth filling
For cases of teeth with black spots due to mild tooth decay, tooth filling is the method indicated to make teeth white again.
Tooth filling is a fairly simple dental technique, after cleaning the decayed tooth tissue, holes in the teeth will appear and they will be filled with specialized materials. After filling, the teeth will have the same shape and function as before, without causing discomfort or hindering the chewing process.
4.4. Porcelain crowns
In cases where tooth decay is too severe, has spread and affects the tooth pulp, tooth filling cannot be performed. Because large fillings cannot adhere firmly to the tooth, they are very easy to peel off from the filling position due to impact or stimulation from chewing force. At this time, bacteria will have the opportunity to attack the old cavities and cause tooth disease. In this case, the doctor will advise the patient to have porcelain crowns to treat tooth decay as well as whiten teeth most effectively.
5. How to prevent black spots on teeth
It is very important to form daily oral care habits and pay attention to your diet when you want to prevent black spots on teeth:
5.1. Oral hygiene
You should brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush at least twice a day to remove food debris on the tooth surface and use toothpaste containing fluoride to help strengthen your teeth. In addition, use dental floss and mouthwash to thoroughly remove food debris in the crevices where the toothbrush cannot reach.
5.2. Add fruits
Fruits contain many nutrients and fiber that are necessary for the body, so they will help remove plaque on teeth effectively. Fruits such as apples, strawberries, sugarcane, etc. help limit the accumulation of food on teeth and prevent the growth of bacteria.
So black spots on teeth are formed from many causes and if not treated quickly, they can seriously affect oral health. Although there are many methods to remove black spots at home with simple ingredients, in cases where teeth have too many black spots, for a long time, you still need to go to the dentist to remove them professionally.
