A brite, white smile is often associated with health and it has been shown that it can boost a person’s confidence.

But before you head out and buy your own at-home whitening kit, you should know how these teeth whitening products actually work.

For instance, did you know that there are two types of stains that can occur on teeth? Well, if you didn't know this then sit back and relax for this short read.

In this post, we will quickly discuss the difference between:

• Intrinsic, or internal, stains
• Extrinsic, or external, stains

And we’ll also address how Dr. Brite’s Teeth Whitening Pens work to tackle both stain types.

What Are Intrinsic Teeth Stains?

Intrinsic stains can occur deeper within the tooth rather than on the outermost layers. In a way, you can think of intrinsic stains as internal stains. Here’s some of the causes for these deeper stains:

• Tiny dental fractures or cracks in the tooth enamel, which allows stains to penetrate deeper into the tooth
• Using tetracycline antibiotics, which can turn your teeth gray
• Bleeding within the tooth or a pulp infection
• Tooth decay or weakened tooth enamel
• Using too much fluoride
• Genetics, which causes a small percentage of people to have purple, gray, or orange stains (Dr. Q Dental)

What Are Extrinsic Teeth Stains?

Extrinsic stains, on the other hand, stain the outer layer of the tooth enamel and are commonly caused by foods and dark beverages. Here's a short list of what can also cause external stains on your teeth:

• Coffee and tea
• Wine
• Dark sodas
• Rich, pigmented fruits like blueberries
• Pigmented vegetables like carrots or beets
• Brightly-colored hard candies
• Smoking or chewing tobacco (Woodlane Dentistry)

How Do Dr. Brite’s Teeth Whitening Pens Work?

So, Dr. Brite has two types of whitening pens that can specifically target the two types of teeth stains we mentioned. Our powerful Teeth Whitening Pen with food-grade hydrogen peroxide is perfect to prevent extrinsic stains from settling onto your teeth.

So, if you’re not sensitive to food-grade hydrogen peroxide, you can use the Dr. Brite Teeth Whitening Pen after you have had a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, or a smoothie bowl with colorful fruit. In fact, you can use our teeth whitening pens two to three times a day and they are completely safe to swallow. You can expect teeth to look two shades brighter in just two days with our Teeth Whitening Pen.

Now, if you have a sensitivity to food-grade hydrogen peroxide or if you prefer to not use products with this ingredient, we offer a Peroxide-free Teeth Whitening Pen that uses coconut oil, which can gently and gradually whiten teeth on a intrinsic level. If you happen to have sensitive teeth, the Dr. Brite Peroxide-free Teeth Whitening Pens can actually help desensitize teeth with continuous use thanks to the coconut oil in this formula. Now, you can expect teeth to look four shades whiter in seven days when using our peroxide-free whitening pen two to three times a day.

So, if you have ever been curious about teeth whitening or if you’re curious about Dr. Brite’s teeth whitening pens, we hope this gives you more insight into what causes teeth stains and why we have two different formulas and how they function.

FAQs

1. What are intrinsic stains?

An intrinsic tooth stain is a type of discoloration that occurs on the dentin, the inner layer of the tooth that contains the discoloration. Despite the fact that dentin is located beneath the surface of the tooth enamel, discolored dentin can cause the entire tooth to appear discolored. Intrinsic dental stains are more durable than extrinsic tooth stains in the natural world.

2. What are examples of intrinsic stains?

Fluorosis, tetracycline stain, and pulpitis are all examples of intrinsic stains that occur naturally in the body. Because the stain is located on the exterior of the tooth, it can be eliminated by scaling and/or polishing the surface of the tooth. However, after time, extrinsic stain might transform into intrinsic stain.

3. Can intrinsic stains be removed from teeth?

Intrinsic tooth stains are more difficult to remove than extrinsic tooth stains, but they can be removed with the right procedures and products. Depending on the severity of the intrinsic stains, either in-office whitening solutions offered by your dentist or the use of some at-home whitening items such as tray-based products or whitening strips are usually required.

4. What are extrinsic teeth stains?

Extrinsic dental stains are the most common type of tooth discoloration, and they are the most difficult to treat. Extrinsic dental stains are those that arise on the surface of the tooth and result in discoloration of the enamel layer of the tooth. Most of the time, the discoloration is yellow or brown in color.

5. What are some examples of extrinsic stains?

Extrinsic stains are the ones that come from outside of your teeth. Some common examples include coffee, tea, wine, and tobacco.