Teeth Stains: Causes, Types and What Removes Them

Extrinsic stains sit on the outside of the enamel. Tea, chai, coffee, cola, red wine, tobacco, paan and gutka are the usual culprits, helped along by plaque and tartar that catch the colour. They show as yellow, brown or black marks, often near the gum line and between teeth.

Intrinsic stains are inside the tooth. Causes include ageing (enamel thins and the yellower dentine shows through), a knock to a tooth that darkens it, a dead nerve, some medicines taken while the teeth were forming, and dental fluorosis. Brushing cannot reach these.

Tobacco stains teeth quickly because tar and nicotine stick to enamel and settle into tiny surface grooves. Smoked and chewed tobacco leave brown or black stain, and the build-up is heavier in people who also have tartar.

The stain is not the main harm. Tobacco damages gums and raises mouth cancer risk, which is covered in smoking and mouth cancer. Betel nut and gutka stain heavily as well, as explained in betel nut teeth.

A professional scale and polish lifts most surface stain in one visit, as outlined in what scaling involves. Costs are shown on the teeth cleaning cost page.

Whitening works on stain within the tooth, and it works best on yellow-brown shades. Results vary with the cause, and grey or blue-grey stains, and crowns and fillings, do not respond the same way. Read whether whitening is safe and the teeth whitening cost page. For the wider picture of yellow shades, see yellow teeth.

Some stains need veneers or crowns instead, which a dentist can explain after an examination. The options are laid out on the smile design page.

Rinse with water after tea, coffee or paan, brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and a soft brush, and clean between the teeth. Avoid tobacco in any form. Regular cleaning stops stain building up on tartar.

Avoid gritty home mixes and charcoal products, which can wear enamel. The honest limits of toothpastes are in do whitening toothpastes work.