Do you have brown spots on your teeth? Many lifestyle and dietary choices can contribute to the formation of brown stains on your teeth. Read on to discover what contributes to the formation of brown stains and what changes can help repair them.

Using Nicotine

Using products that contain nicotine affects the health of your teeth. Often, these products contain tar or resin that layers upon your tooth's surface. The more nicotine you use, the more this tar lacquers over your tooth's surface and the darker the stains on your teeth become. To reduce the amount of tar stains, you'll want to stop using tobacco products or switch to a nicotine patch.

Tooth Decay

Your teeth feature a lightly colored outer enamel, and as the enamel is worn away, a darker layer of enamel is revealed. If the surface of your tooth is unevenly worn, this can lead to brown spots on your teeth. Once a spot is worn on the outer enamel on your tooth, it only takes bacteria taking hold in that area to form a cavity.

Your teeth also begin to decay if plaque and tartar begin to form on the tooth's surface. As tartar hardens, it forms brown stains in the affected areas of the tooth. Once plaque hardens into tartar, you will need a dental professional to remove it. To reduce tooth decay, you will have to identify the cause. Eating too many sweets, brushing too hard, and not consuming enough calcium can all contribute to tooth decay.

Acid Erosion

Acid erosion is where acidic foods or stomach acid erodes away the enamel of your teeth. This can lead to uneven wear on your tooth's surface due to the acid eating the enamel. This erosion can show as dark caramel-colored freckles on your teeth or large concave pits in your tooth's surface. To stop acid erosion from continuing, you have to determine its cause. If you find yourself with frequent heartburn, check-in with your doctor to see if you need a prescription to control your stomach acid. You should also consider reducing your consumption of acidic foods like citrus fruits, vinegar, and soda.

If you have brown spots on your teeth and you need help removing them, you should reach out to a cosmetic dentistry office. They will be able to diagnose your issue and work with you to develop a plan of treatment to remove the brown stains.