Not all whitening treatments are equally effective on all people, and not all teeth will whiten to the same degree. Teeth whitening can change a tooth's colour by several shades, meaning teeth that are more stained or discoloured won't whiten to the same degree as teeth that were whiter originally.
If you have had cosmetic dental bonding, tooth colored fillings, porcelain veneers, inlays, onlays or dental implants you will not have successful results with any type of tooth whitening.
You Have Intrinsic Stains
However, if you have intrinsic staining, your whitening treatment may not respond at all. Intrinsic stains are those caused by the overuse of fluoride, certain medications or dental injury.
Teeth that have yellowed with age
Dentin is naturally yellowish and cannot be lightened with teeth whitening products.
So if you have impeccable dental hygiene but your teeth are still yellow or return quickly to the less desired yellow color after whitening treatments it is most likely caused by what you are eating and drinking.
The good news is that even naturally yellow teeth can be whitened, and kept white, if you understand the causes behind tooth discoloration.
Many people perceive yellow teeth to be unattractive. This is likely due to the idea that yellow teeth are dirty or old. People with yellow teeth are commonly embarrassed or feel insecure about their smiles. Teeth whitening treatment may help patients with yellow teeth gain confidence in their smiles.
Some home kits don't contain enough whitening product to be effective. Also, if a dental professional isn't doing the whitening, the mouthguard provided may not fit properly so some of the bleaching gel may leak out onto your gums and into your mouth, causing blistering and sensitivity.
If your teeth have biofilm or plaque buildup, this can prevent the bleaching agent from reaching the target stains. Before considering any teeth whitening treatment, it is a good idea to schedule an appointment for a dental cleaning. These cleanings remove all signs of biofilm and plaque on the surface of your teeth.
Typically, short teeth and a gummy smile do not look better with bleaching because whiter teeth will accentuate the gummy smile. Also, exposed tooth roots don't bleach, so if you have root exposure, your results won't be ideal. In either of these cases, you may want to consider other cosmetic options.
The reason is that even after a whitening treatment, the enamel of your teeth remains porous. This means that staining will still occur as you go.
In fact, both men and women commonly find yellow teeth a turn-off at best and a deal breaker at worst. Studies have actually shown that both men and women find yellow teeth a worse characteristic in a potential date than spotty skin or bad table manners.
If left untreated, stained teeth can become more obvious over the years. Teeth also can start appearing more yellow as a natural part of the aging process. As you age, your tooth enamel can become thinner, allowing yellow dentin to show through.
When asked what the biggest turn-off in a potential romantic partner is, bad breath topped the list at 31.3%, followed closely by yellow, crooked or missing teeth at 25%. Unattractive teeth are considered an even bigger turnoff than body odor (12.5%), lack of personality (18%), and unkempt appearance (12.5%).
A Matter of Genetics
Contrary to popular belief, naturally yellow teeth are not necessarily a sign of poor oral health. They may simply be an indication of naturally thin enamel and more dentin showing through.
Even with daily brushing, certain foods and drinks can cause stained teeth. For example, frequently drinking coffee, tea and wine can all lead to yellow teeth. In addition, even regular brushing cannot always combat yellow teeth caused by smoking cigarettes.
"The nerve in the center, then dentin — which is a yellowish color — then enamel." All of these things are governed by your genetics, and they can all impact the color of your teeth. According to Dr. Huang, people who have thicker enamel and lighter dentin will have brighter teeth naturally.
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.
It's important to remember that dentists don't go into their profession to judge people; they go into it to help them. No matter what your oral health condition is, a good dentist will not make you feel bad about it.
If your teeth are more of an off-white or yellowish-white, that doesn't necessarily mean they're unhealthy. That could just be their natural state! Contrary to popular opinion, teeth the bright white of piano keys is not in fact the norm.
Square-shaped teeth are not very sharp, but they look nice and healthy, so it makes your smile look natural and attractive. People also tend to prefer straighter teeth, but that is highly subjective because everyone has their taste.
It's true, though. In studies done comparing people with decayed teeth, people with teeth in natural shades, and people with whitened teeth, people with white teeth were viewed in the most positive light. Americans place significant importance on physical appearance as a reflection of the type of person that you are.
A yellow smile can make your teeth appear dull, aged and even unhealthy. And, with some causes attacking your tooth enamel, you could also be opening up the floodgates to oral health problems in the future, such as dental carries (cavities) and even tooth loss.
While most teeth whitening commercials feature younger people, most seniors are left to wonder if they, too, can achieve a brighter smile. You'll be happy to know that teeth whitening can be just as effective for our older loved ones.
Because there is such a wide range of whitening options, the average teeth bleaching results can last anywhere from six months to three years. In most cases, however, people tend to have results that last about one year.