Stained teeth: causes, prevention and how to remove stains from teeth

Reading time: 9 Min

Brown spots on the teeth or yellow-stained teeth are primarily cosmetic problems. While they may not say anything about the overall health of our teeth, discoloured teeth might be a concern for you, and in some cases they can be a sign of larger problems such as tartar.

Here we’ll explore the major causes of stained teeth, alongside some easy-to-follow advice for how to prevent discoloured teeth:

Brushing your teeth
Cleaning your tongue
Flossing
Using mouthwash
Changing your diet
Drinking water
Waiting an hour after eating to brush your teeth
Quitting smoking

Additionally, we will show you how to clean stained teeth both at home and professionally. Read on to discover how to remove deep stains from teeth so that you can get back to your sparkling smile.

Five causes of stained teeth

BWe know you really want to know how to remove yellow stains from teeth, but let’s first talk about what causes tooth discolouration in the first place. Getting to the bottom of what causes the discolouration will help you not only fix it but prevent it in the future too.

The causes of discoloured teeth include:

Beverages such as tea and red wine. Coffee stains teeth as well, which is bad news if you rely on it to wake you up in the morning
Smoking
Spices such as curry and saffron
Medications such as certain antibiotics
Tooth decay and other oral illnesses and infections

Substances contained in these foods and stimulants interact with the bacteria in our mouth, which settle on our teeth as stubborn plaque. If the plaque is not removed it can cause discolouration such as brown spots on the teeth, as well as damage to the enamel and surrounding gums.

Tip: If you notice that your children have discoloured teeth, it’s important to take them to the dentist. Tooth discolouration in children could be a sign of problems with teeth development.

How to prevent discoloured and stained teeth

Now that you know what causes discoloured teeth, it’s time to explore how to prevent those unpleasant stains from occurring.

The most important step in preventing tooth discolouration is an efficient and thorough oral hygiene routine. In addition to retaining the natural white of your teeth, this will also aid in your overall oral health.

The steps to maintaining good oral care and preventing stained teeth include:¹

Brush your teeth twice a day. Each time you brush you should do so for at least two minutes, tackling all the surfaces of your teeth with a good-quality toothbrush.
Clean your tongue daily with a tongue brush or scaler. This will help to remove the excess microbes that reside in the hidden spaces on the rough surface of your tongue. Removing these microbes helps prevent not only the onset of plaque but bad breath too.
Clean the interdental spaces at least once a day. No matter how well you brush, there are hard-to-reach, unseen areas that can best be cleaned with the use of dental floss, an interdental brush or the Philips Power Flosser.
Use an antibacterial mouthwash. Mouthwash can penetrate every area of your mouth and ensure that it is thoroughly cleaned, including around the tongue and interdental spaces. Don’t use it straight after brushing your teeth, though, or it’ll reduce the effectiveness of your toothpaste.¹

Tip: In addition to diligent oral hygiene at home, you should have regular check-ups at the dentist. The NHS recommends you visit your dentist at least every couple of years, or more frequently if you’re experiencing dental problems.2 Dental check-ups can not only help keep your teeth stain-free but also help to avoid gum disease and other unwanted oral illnesses. After each check-up, your dentist will let you know when they think your next visit should be.

It’s not just good oral hygiene that can help you steer clear of stained teeth. Some simple changes to your lifestyle can also help to prevent discoloured teeth, meaning you won’t have to wonder how to remove brown stains from teeth at all:

Reduce the consumption of products containing tannins. Did you know that consuming tea, red wine and even coffee stains teeth? This is because these drinks contain tannins, which are a plant compound shown to cause discolouration when consumed.³
Rinse your mouth with water after every meal. Drinking plenty of water during and after meals helps to flush through that bothersome plaque-creating bacteria.⁴ By drinking and rinsing your mouth with water you slow down the production of plaque and thus help to prevent stained teeth.
Wait about an hour before toothbrushing after eating or drinking. While thorough toothbrushing is beneficial, doing so too soon after food and drink can do more harm than good. You should wait about an hour to prevent damage to the tooth enamel.⁵
Reduce or quit smoking. Tobacco smoke and tar in cigarettes, cigars and pipes are not only bad for your health, but they are also bad for your teeth.⁶These products dry out your mouth and increase plaque production, so trying to quit can help you avoid stained teeth.

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How to remove stains from teeth both at home and professionally

By following the tips above, you’re creating the best conditions for naturally white teeth and a beautiful smile free from discoloured teeth. However, if you are still suffering from less-than-perfect stained teeth, you’ll need to know how to remove brown stains from teeth or how to deal with yellow dental discolouration.

There are two main ways to remove stains from teeth:

Use specialist toothpaste. If you’re wondering how to clean stained teeth at home, try following our guide to oral hygiene above using a whitening toothpaste in place of your usual toothpaste. Be careful not to use any products that are highly abrasive, though, as these can wear away dental enamel and damage the teeth over time.
Tip: The NHS advises against using home tooth whitening kits or bleaching gel. If you want a full teeth whitening treatment, it should be carried out by a trained dental professional.⁷
Make an appointment with your dentist. Your dentist is professionally trained in how to remove deep stains from teeth. They have the tools and products needed to clean, polish and strengthen your teeth so that you can once again show your healthy, white smile.

We’ve shown you the causes of stained teeth, how to remove yellow stains from teeth and, of course, how to prevent the onset of discoloured teeth in the first place. Now all you need to do is implement our tips to ensure your teeth are smile-ready every single day.

* Based on two brushing cycles of two minutes each per day in the Clean Programme

Sources:
¹ How to keep your teeth clean, NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-teeth-and-gums/how-to-keep-your-teeth-clean/

² Dental check-ups, NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-teeth-and-gums/dental-check-ups/

³ de Sousa et al., Extrinsic tooth enamel color changes and their relationship with the quality of water consumed, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 9(10), 3530–3539. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3509470/

⁴ Barnes et al., Comparison of irrigation to floss as an adjunct to tooth brushing: effect on bleeding, gingivitis, and supragingival plaque, Journal of Clinical Dentistry 16(3), 71–77. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16305005/

⁵ The best way to brush your teeth, BBC Future. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220718-the-best-way-to-brush-your-teeth

⁶ Alkhatib et al., Smoking and tooth discolouration: findings from a national cross-sectional study, BMC Public Health 2005; 5:27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1079878/

⁷ Teeth whitening, NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/teeth-whitening/

Stained teeth: causes, prevention and how to remove stains from teeth

Five causes of stained teeth

How to prevent discoloured and stained teeth

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Power Flosser 3000 Cordless water flosser with accessories

How to remove stains from teeth both at home and professionally

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Cordless water flosser with accessories