Evaluating the staining effects of tobacco, oil, mouthwash, and beverages on teeth and restorative materials: A cross-sectional observational study

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of water, mouthwash, coconut oil, coffee, tea powder, smoke, and smokeless tobacco on the dental hard tissue enamel of natural teeth and tooth-colored restorative materials. Material and Methods: The mediums included in the study were commercially available bottled water, mouthwash, oil and tobacco (both smoke and smokeless), coffee, and tea. M1–M8 was assigned to each medium. GIC and composite were used to fill cavities prepared on the labial and occlusal surfaces of anterior and posterior teeth, respectively. The teeth were divided into three groups: Natural (N), GIC filled (G), and composite filled (C) and were placed in the mediums for 24 h before being repeated consecutively for the next 6 days. Pre- and post-exposure photographs were taken before the first exposure and after the previous day exposure in the respective mediums. Following that, the four observers (blinded) were asked to rate the intensity of staining caused by the eight mediums on teeth and restorations. Results: Following the experiment, observations by the blind observers were recorded as positive and negative findings on the teeth preserved in the eight media. The positive findings, along with corresponding photographs were taken under a stereo zoom microscope. The present study revealed that chewable tobacco, tea, and coffee caused noticeable staining on the teeth and dental restorations compared to water, oil, and mouthwash. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, exposure to smokeless tobacco, coffee, and tea caused staining on the hard tissue enamel of the crown and the cementum of the root. The clinical implications of this study are that patients must be educated about the increased susceptibility to staining of natural teeth, particularly in the exposed cementum of the cervical portion and tooth-colored restorations placed in anterior teeth.