<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

hello, everyone

First, thanks to all who answered. And to the nearly equal number who
asked me to be sure and summarize, here it is.

The short of it is that the bleaching tray system got the most nods.
From what people say about their experience, it seems unlikely that
my problem was due to gluten.

No one had tried the laser method.

One person said her daughter got good results from tooth bonding, but
that is expensive--several hundred dollars per tooth.

One person said the Rembrandt toothpaste worked for stains, tho the
effect is temporary. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks do restain your
teeth.

Another person said Crest whitening strips might work.

As for causes, people cite antibiotic use and the usual staining
agents. My hypothesis about a celiac-discoloration connection is
apparently incorrect. Below, one reply that I suspect will be
particularly interesting to people:

I would recommend bleaching.  Perhaps the cause of your stomach cramps
was overfilling the trays with bleach which was swallowed during the
night.  That is common in some patients who overfill trays.  Was the
tray made by a dentist or an OTC brand?  I am a dentist and celiac.
Most of the bleaching products are a peroxide.  I would only use a tray
made by the dentist that fits your teeth exclusively.  The bleach
shortens long carbon chains in the dentin of your teeth (the naturally
yellow portion of the tooth under the protective enamel coating).  It is
a chemical reaction that is perfectly safe.

Whitening toothpastes work well with stains on the enamel because they are
more
abrasive.  They will not change the true color of your teeth, however.  I am
not aware of any physiological reason for tooth discoloration due to celiac
disease.  There are cases of enamel defects, specifically horizontal grooves
in the incisors.

One person responded with the name of a particular manufacturer whose
product worked for her:
  American Dental Hygienics.
3600 Horizon Drive, Box 61574, King of Prussia, PA 19406.

Another person said her dentist said to use the bleaching tray system
only for three to four days because after that, the teeth will not
get any whiter.

And from one other person, a suggestion I have not yet followed up on:

I saw on the news a couple of weeks ago that there is a new over the
counter method, where you leave it on for an hour a day, and it
should be out soon. Dentists will use it too. So you might be able to
tell you the name of it, which I've forgotten. Use it for a month and
it lightens teeth about two shades.


Again, thanks everyone. Hope the information helps.

best, Mary Brown
NYC