It is natural for teeth to become slightly yellow as a person ages and their enamel becomes worn. Discoloration from plaque buildup can be reduced by regular brushing. Avoiding foods that may stain the teeth is also a good idea.
Brushing your teeth diligently helps remove harmful plaque and bacteria from your teeth but isn't effective whiten them. Brushing twice daily is crucial because it helps prevent tooth decay and cavities.
Brushing your teeth is meant to remove harmful bacteria and plaque but not to whiten them. As recommended by your dentist, brushing twice a day is vital because it prevents cavities and tooth decay. Brushing alone will not whiten your teeth, though, and even whitening toothpaste only has a minimal effect on your teeth.
For about two to six weeks, you can use dentist-recommended whitening toothpaste and brush twice a day. You can use a certified whitening mouthwash which usually takes about three months to produce visible results. Whitening strips are the most compelling in-house treatments that last up to six months.
Although it takes years for teeth to take on a yellow hue, you may not have noticed this slow process taking place. You see your teeth every day and probably didn't notice the slight discoloration occurring. Thankfully, yellow teeth aren't forever.
You can brush your teeth three times a day. In fact, this is the ideal balance for many people because it allows for oral cleansing after every meal.
Consuming Certain Foods and Drinks
“Certain foods that are high in tannins, such as red wine, are potential causes of yellow teeth,” notes Crest. Other teeth-staining foods include coffee, citrus fruits and juices, soft drinks, teas, berries, tomato-based sauces, curry, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce.
Teeth whitening treatments usually work by stripping or entering the outer enamel layer, which makes teeth weaker if done many times. So, more often than not, yellow teeth are actually stronger than pearly white ones–so long as they're cleaned regularly.
Ageing, genetics and health
Your overall health is also a factor in determining the colour of your teeth – in particular, issues such as nutritional deficiencies and treatments for cancer are likely to render your teeth yellow, regardless of your brushing and care.
If teeth whitening does not work for you, it might be because of the product you are using, the type of tooth stains or spots, or strength of the bleaching gel. Product type – Whitening toothpaste does not remove deeply embedded stains.
In our modern day of internet dating and blind date setups, first impressions can be a big, big deal. That said, few people include “canary yellow teeth” on their list of turn-ons. In fact, both men and women commonly find yellow teeth a turn-off at best and a deal breaker at worst.
Some of the most common causes of tooth discoloration include drinking beverages such as coffee, tea, and wine. These substances get into the enamel of your teeth and can cause long-term discoloration. Smoking: Smoking is one of the top causes of yellow or brown teeth, and stains from smoking can be stubborn.
Tooth Brushing Isn't Meant to Whiten Teeth
Brushing twice a day (or more if recommended by a dentist) is essential, as it removes plaque and prevents cavities. The bristle action of a toothbrush won't whiten teeth, though, and even whitening toothpastes can only have a limited effect on the surface of teeth.
In a 2012 study, researchers learned that yellowed teeth downgraded a person's attractiveness. They believed this is because teeth are “ornaments” that can draw in potential suitors. When humans smile, we're like a colorful bird showing off its tail feathers.
In spite of our obsession with whiter teeth, most healthy teeth tend to have a light yellow hue. The outer layer of your teeth – the enamel – is a blue-white color. The middle layer – the dentin – is a thick tissue with a slightly yellow tinge.
Variables in enamel thickness, as well as enamel shade, give off different colors other than white, which are perfectly natural. Myth #2: Yellow teeth are unhealthy. Teeth that are not perfectly white can still be healthy. The teeth are considered unhealthy if their color is attributed to plaque buildup or staining.
What Can Be Done to Whiten Yellow Teeth? If you're looking for a radical change in the coloring of your teeth, you need professional-grade whitening to get the job done. Your cosmetic dentist can provide treatment that penetrates deep into the enamel and removes years of stains with a powerful bleaching agent.
However, brushing your teeth between meals isn't necessarily a bad thing. You should refrain from brushing more than three times a day, because brushing too often will wear down the enamel of your teeth. You must brush at least twice, but not more than three times a day.
The American Dental Association recommends you brush your teeth for 2 minutes, twice a day. People sometimes brush after every meal, or brush midday to freshen up. Although this is not always a bad thing, when you start brushing too much or for too long, you can ultimately damage your teeth.
The white of your teeth actually comes from the outer layer, the enamel. Healthy enamel is like strong bone and protects the inner layers of your teeth. Protecting your enamel is a good way to maintain white teeth. Some people still have naturally whiter teeth than others.
Teeth look yellow when the enamel is thin and the dentin underneath shows through it. Dentin is a deep yellow to brownish material inside your teeth under the enamel, and it's often responsible for the yellow you see when you look in the mirror.
Your Teeth Aren't Clean
You may not see it, but your teeth may have a dirty biofilm or layer of plaque buildup that is preventing the whitening agents from targeting your tooth stains. Consider teeth whitening after your next routine dental cleaning.
If your child is about 6-7 years old and their permanent teeth have started to erupt, you may notice that their permanent teeth look quite a bit more yellow than their baby teeth. Good news: this is normal.
If you live a healthy lifestyle (meaning if you're not consuming certain foods and beverages that are known to stain your teeth, you're not smoking, and you're not taking certain medications known to cause yellow teeth), then this may just be your natural tooth color. And there's nothing wrong with that!