Why are my teeth discoloured?
Discolouration is either extrinsic — a surface film from tea, coffee, tobacco or chromogenic bacteria, removable by cleaning — or intrinsic, where the tooth structure itself is darker, from ageing dentine, fluorosis, tetracycline, trauma or a dead nerve. The two respond to completely different treatments, and a single dark tooth in an otherwise even arch is a diagnostic finding, not a cosmetic one: it usually means the pulp is non-vital.
What stained or discoloured teeth usually turns out to be
- Extrinsic staining from tea, coffee, tobacco, areca nut or red wine
- Calculus and plaque accumulation
- Ageing — thinner enamel over darker dentine
- Fluorosis or developmental enamel defects
- Tetracycline staining
- A single non-vital (dead) tooth after trauma or deep decay
What to do before you are seen
- Start with a professional clean — it settles what is only surface stain
- Have any single dark tooth investigated for vitality before whitening it
- Discuss whitening, bonding or veneers against your own enamel condition
- Stop tobacco and areca nut; they restain and carry mucosal risk
This is general guidance and does not replace an examination. Only a clinical examination with radiographs can identify which tooth or tissue is causing your symptom.
When to see us
- Sensitivity or pain that continues for more than a few days after cosmetic work
- A veneer, crown or bonded restoration that has chipped, debonded or feels high in the bite
- Gum inflammation or dark margins developing at the edge of a restoration
Detailed guides on this symptom
Internal Tooth Bleaching for Discolored Nonvital Teeth
Internal tooth bleaching after root canal treatment is a conservative endodontic procedure that lightens intrinsically discoloured, non-vital teeth from within the pulp chamber, restoring natural aesthetics without requiring extensive structural removal for crowns or veneers.
Smile Makeover and Digital Smile Design
How veneers, bonding, whitening and gum contouring are combined into one planned cosmetic outcome.
Caring for Cosmetic Dental Work Long Term
Veneers, crowns, bonding and whitening results all benefit from specific daily care habits and regular professional review to protect your investment and keep your smile looking its best for years.
Smile Makeover for Weddings: Planning Your Timeline
A wedding smile makeover should be planned well in advance of the big day, with treatment timelines tailored to allow healing and adjustment time between whitening, bonding, veneers or orthodontic work.
Stain Removal and Discoloured Teeth: Causes and Solutions
Tooth discolouration can come from surface staining, ageing, medication or trauma, and understanding the cause helps determine whether cleaning, whitening or a restorative approach will work best.
Enamel Microabrasion for Removing Superficial Tooth Stains
Enamel microabrasion is a conservative, evidence-based clinical technique combining mild acid and fine abrasive particles to eliminate superficial enamel stains, post-orthodontic demineralisation, and mild-to-moderate fluorosis without requiring invasive composite restorations or prosthetic veneers.
Teeth Whitening and Tooth Stains: Causes and Treatment Options
Why teeth discolour over time, the difference between surface stains and deeper discolouration, and how professional whitening compares with home options.
Peg Lateral Incisors and Aesthetic Restorations
Peg lateral incisors are a common genetic form of localized microdontia affecting the upper front teeth. This clinical guide explains causes, diagnostic evaluation, and modern restorative solutions including direct composite bonding, ceramic veneers, and interdisciplinary orthodontic management.
Closing Gaps Between Front Teeth: Options Compared
Gaps between front teeth, known as diastemas, can be closed using bonding, veneers, or orthodontics, with the right choice depending on the size of the gap and the overall alignment of your teeth.
Porcelain Veneers: Durable Shells for a Flawless Smile
Porcelain veneers are thin custom shells bonded to the front of teeth to correct colour, shape and minor alignment issues, offering a stain resistant and long lasting cosmetic solution.
Porcelain Veneers Versus Composite Resin Dental Bonding
This clinical guide examines porcelain veneers versus composite bonding, comparing material properties, biological preparation, clinical workflows, longevity, maintenance, and complications to assist patients and clinicians in making evidence-based smile design decisions.
Laser Tooth Whitening Safety and Clinical Effectiveness
Laser tooth whitening is a safe, effective in-office procedure when performed by qualified dental clinicians. This guide details clinical mechanisms, safety protocols, pulpal thermal risks, stain aetiology, management of dentinal hypersensitivity, and evidence-based longevity outcomes.