I’ve had fluorosis stains on my teeth since I was about 10 years old. My mom and dad wanted to wait to see if I grew out of the stains. I’m 20 now and the spots are still there and they’re dark brown, too. They don’t look any better to me now that I’m older. I see some people looking at my teeth trying to figure out what’s going on with them. It’s embarrassing. I’m trying to figure out the best way to get rid of the stains without going broke trying to do it. I’m thinking that teeth whitening is probably the cheapest way to go. I work part-time and go to technical school, so I don’t have a lot of cash. My parents said they would help me out with some with the cost, but I still need some advice. – Kevin, Saratoga
Background for our readers – When too much fluoride is consumed while teeth are forming, fluorosis occurs. Some communities have drinking water in which there is naturally too much fluoride. If some of the fluoride isn’t removed fluorosis occurs. It’s also caused by taking fluoride supplements when they are not needed, or by swallowing too much fluoridated toothpaste.
Kevin – Fluorosis stains on teeth are best treated by a cosmetic dentist with experience in treating them. Depending on the color and extent of stains on teeth, there are different methods for treating them., and teeth whitening may not be the best choice.
You mentioned that you have dark brown spots on your teeth. Depending on how extensive the stains are, they can be covered with dental bonding. The bonding will cover the affected spots. An experienced cosmetic dentist will ensure that the bonding matches the color and translucency of your natural teeth, and people won’t be able to tell that you ever had the stains.
If the spotting covers a large area of the teeth, it is best covered with porcelain veneers. Again, to effectively cover the teeth and create a natural look, find a cosmetic dentist who is experienced with porcelain veneers. View his or her online smile gallery or ask to see pictures of smile makeovers with porcelain veneers.
When stains are yellow in color, the cause is unlikely to be fluorosis, and teeth whitening can be used first to try to remove them. Dark stains will only become more noticeable with teeth whitening, which uniformly whitens teeth, instead of whitening only the dark spots. It’s best to have your teeth examined, so that you can receive the correct treatment.
This blog is sponsored by San Jose cosmetic dentists Drs. Suzanna and Trinh Lee of Mountain View.