You grin in situations like watching your kids play at the park, getting comments on your appearance, or going on a blind date, but you don’t because of your yellow teeth. What can you do to achieve a white smile if you’re not afraid to flash the world and why are your teeth discolored? What you can do to regain your confidence is more crucial.
Why are teeth yellow?
What causes teeth to yellow? There are various causes for yellowing teeth.
1. Bad Oral Hygiene
The first is bad dental hygiene, however, if you brush your teeth every day, this is probably not the cause of your stained teeth. Poor oral hygiene practitioners seldom floss, use mouthwash, or brush their teeth.
2. Consume certain meats and beverages
According to Crest, “certain meals that are high in tannins, such as red wine, are potential causes of teeth becoming yellow.” Coffee, citrus juices, soft drinks, teas, berries, tomato-based sauces, curries, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce are some more foods that can discolor teeth. These foods’ ingredients have the potential to penetrate your enamel, the top layer of your teeth, and discolor it.
3. Cigarettes or tobacco product users
According to Queen Victoria Hospital, stains on the teeth are one of the impacts of smoking. “The tar and nicotine in cigarettes are to blame for this. People who smoke for a long time frequently complain that their teeth are brown. Smoking can quickly turn your teeth yellow.”
However, in the grand scheme of things, stained teeth are only a small reason to think about giving up tobacco. According to the Hospital, 90% of persons who acquire mouth, tongue, lip, or throat cancer have or have used tobacco products.
4. Medicines
Are you now receiving treatment for a serious condition, or did you just start a new medication? Some medications and therapies, such as prescription drugs for asthma and high blood pressure, can cause tooth discoloration as a side effect.
If you regularly wash your teeth but still can’t seem to get a white smile, look into the medications you are taking. Search for “tooth discoloration” in the list of side effects and discuss alternatives with your doctor.
5. Health, genetics, and aging
Even if you’ve maintained a good brushing routine, it’s still very possible that as you age, your enamel will gradually wear away and give you stained teeth. The fact that some of us are born with an incredibly thick covering of enamel and some of us naturally have a very thin layer can serve to exacerbate this.
Your general health also has an impact on the color of your teeth; in particular, conditions like nutritional deficiencies and cancer treatments may cause your teeth to turn yellow, despite how well you brush and care for them.
6. Brushing and routines
If you don’t brush properly, any stains or teeth that are turning yellow will just become worse. The recommended minimum is two daily brushes, but to prevent problems, you must make sure that all of your teeth are being cleaned. Additionally, using dental floss ensures that you get to the areas of your teeth that would otherwise go neglected and may be more vulnerable.
Be cautious, though, as brushing your teeth too vigorously increases the likelihood that you’ll erode your enamel, which can expose more of the dentin layer and cause discoloration. Always choose soft toothbrushes over medium or hard ones.
Types of Tooth Stains and Yellow Teeth
Both intrinsic and extrinsic tooth stains exist.
Extrinsic Staining
Your teeth’s surface has extrinsic stains. They are often brought on by eating or drinking particular foods as well as using tobacco. By practicing good dental hygiene and minimizing your intake of foods that can stain your teeth, you can help prevent extrinsic stains. Treatments for teeth whitening, such as Zoom or bleaching trays, can frequently brighten a smile that has been faded by extrinsic staining.
Intrinsic Staining
Internal stains on teeth are more difficult to remove. These are frequently observed in teeth that are either necrotic (dead) or have already had root canal therapy. Small cracks can also contribute to intrinsic stains by allowing food, drink, and tobacco to penetrate the tooth and discolor it from the inside out. Antibiotics, internal bleeding, tooth decay, too much fluoride, and genetics are all potential causes.
While traditional teeth-whitening procedures can somewhat lessen intrinsic discoloration, the effects might not endure. Veneers work best on patients who have naturally stained teeth. Dental veneers are ultra-thin, personalized shells that fit over the fronts of your teeth. Much longer than any teeth whitening procedure, they can conceal the stained tooth for up to 15 years.
Verdict
For yellow teeth, there are numerous options for over-the-counter teeth whitening. Although these products may have certain advantages, they frequently have very few teeth-whitening options. The only stains that can be removed by whitening strips, toothpaste, and mouthwashes are those that are surface-level.
Furthermore, many over-the-counter whitening procedures leave patients with uneven results and spotty teeth. Since many over-the-counter whitening treatments can affect your teeth’ enamel when used incorrectly, using them excessively can cause more harm than good.
