How to remove brown stains on teeth caused by mouthwash

Toothpaste giant Crest is on the defensive after consumer complaints that one of its popular mouthwashes causes teeth to turn brown. 

CTV News anchor Jina You started using Crest Pro Health and woke up one morning to find brown stains on her teeth.

"I looked in the mirror and all along my bottom teeth, it looked like I’d been chewing tobacco for 20 years, and it was very sudden. I just went 'oh my gosh, what caused this?'" You told CTV’s Steele on Your Side.

She’s not alone.  Hundreds of angry consumers have taken to the internet and message boards claiming that the product also stained their teeth, leaving brown stains in between individual teeth.    

“My teeth looked like they were rotting,” one user wrote on Amazon.com’s product review board. 

“Quit using [it] and fortunately an expensive dental cleansing visit got the stains off… Don't use this stuff!” another user wrote. 

Vancouver Dentist Shaireen Lalani says she’s not surprised by the problem and has seen similar anti-bacterial rinses cause dental staining before.

"It is tricky, some people have very crowded teeth and the stains can get in-between all the little cracks,” she said. 

The parent company of Crest, Proctor and Gamble, told CTV News that the ingredient Cetyl Pyridinium Chloride is what causes some people’s teeth to turn brown. 

The antiseptic agent is added to kill bacteria and ensure the mouthwash is alcohol-free, a major selling feature.

"Basically what happens is the product is killing bacteria that causes bad breath and in some individuals that bacteria as it's killed it can also turn brown and then stick to the teeth,” P&G spokesperson Victoria Maybee told CTV’s Lynda Steele in a telephone interview. 

The product does have a small print warning on the back label that reads: “In some cases, antimicrobial rinses may cause surface staining to teeth," but consumers have complained the warning label is buried in the product information. 

Maybee said Proctor and Gamble isn’t taking the situation lightly but the problem only affects a small percentage of users.

“It's something that I can only imagine like how upsetting that could be to a person,” she said. 

The product does come with a satisfaction guarantee, and consumers can ask for a refund if they’re unhappy with the mouthwash. 

Dentist Shaireen Lalani says the stains are not permanent and can be removed with professional cleaning. 

In some cases, Crest has reimbursed consumers to have their teeth professionally cleaned. 

Brown teeth stains are not uncommon, and they have many causes, including diet and medications. But smoking is one of the top causes of brown teeth stains. Constant exposure to the nicotine in cigarettes over time creates brown teeth stains that can get in the way of an attractive smile. There are many other causes of tooth discoloration and the appearance of brown teeth—heredity, trauma or illness, certain medications, food and drink stains, poor oral hygiene ... the list goes on. While you can't control all of these causes of brown teeth, it’s important to focus on the ones you can since oral health has a significant impact on your overall health.

How to Remove Brown Stains from Teeth

Brown teeth stains often respond well to teeth whitening systems. If you have brown teeth stains due to smoking, a combination of products including those from the Crest 3D White collection, may help reduce brown teeth stains and prevent them from recurring. 

But it's important to be realistic. If you smoke and you are unwilling to quit, it will be harder to keep brown teeth stains at bay. Also, keep in mind that brown teeth stains from smoking may require more powerful whitening products than yellow teeth stains. If you are a smoker, the best first step toward improving the appearance of brown teeth stains is to quit smoking. Studies have shown that quitting can improve the appearance of brown teeth stains, and smokers who quit can significantly reduce their risk of gum disease and of mouth, lip, tongue, and throat cancers. Even cutting back on the number of cigarettes can help improve brown teeth stains. But remember that cigarettes alone aren’t to blame. Smoking pipes or cigars can cause brown teeth stains, too.

How to Get Rid of Brown Stains on Teeth for Good

Frequent brushing and flossing and regular visits to your dentist can help reduce plaque build-up on your teeth. Too much plaque build-up leads to brown teeth. Also, stay in tune with your mouth—look at your teeth closely in a mirror on a regular basis. If you have brown teeth or notice your gums are bleeding or swollen, it’s probably a good idea to consult with your dentist. Once you have a proper oral health routine of brushing twice daily and flossing once a day, look for at-home teeth-whitening products to help maintain your pearly whites.

Sources:

1. //www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/smoking-oral-health
2. //www.webmd.com/oral-health/teeth-whitening

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