Natural Enamel Thickness & Translucency Enamel is on the surface of every tooth and it has a natural hue of white. However, the underlying dentinDentin (/ˈdɛntɪn/) (American English) or dentine (/ˈdɛnˌtiːn/ or /ˌdɛnˈtiːn/) (British English) (Latin: substantia eburnea) is a calcified tissue of the body and, along with enamel, cementum, and pulp, is one of the four major components of teeth.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Dentin
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.
Teeth Aren't White to Begin With
To start with, the idea that teeth in their own right are perfectly white is a myth. Even if teeth were to never come in contact with a discoloring agent, they still would appear slightly off-white in their natural state. The visible portion of teeth is comprised of dentin and enamel.
Non-White or Yellow Teeth are Unhealthy
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.
A good rule of thumb when determining how white your teeth should be is to look at the whites of your eyes. Whether whitening at home or undergoing treatment by a professional dentist, you should be aiming for a shade of white similar to that of your eyes.
Rather than a healthy, pearly white smile, their teeth look blindingly white. When you whiten, a good rule of thumb is to go for a shade that matches the whites of your eyes. Your goal should be to let others see the natural beauty of your smile, not a blindingly white set of teeth.
Certain foods and drinks can stain your teeth in the same way they can stain clothing. Red wine, coffee, berries, colas, and other dark-colored food and beverages can stain teeth over time. Additionally, acid foods and drinks can erode enamel making the pigment from foods and beverages easier to stick to your teeth.
Consuming Certain Foods and Drinks
Other teeth-staining foods include coffee, citrus fruits and juices, soft drinks, teas, berries, tomato-based sauces, curry, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce. Ingredients in these foods can seep into your enamel (the outermost covering of your teeth) and cause discoloration.
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.
Reader's Digest quoted Adriana Manso, a clinical professor in UBC's faculty of dentistry, for an article about how whitening agents weaken teeth. He said “bleaching products contain hydrogen peroxide that diffuses through the enamel.
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.
Glide a finger along the gums, they should be firm and pain-free. Red, white or swollen gums are immediate red flags. In addition, your tongue should also be pink and firm. Every time you brush your teeth, remember to also brush your tongue and remove any plaque that may appear as a white film on the tongue.
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.
As the enamel erodes and more dentin is exposed, the teeth may appear yellow. Cracks and chips. The edges of teeth become more rough, irregular, and jagged as enamel erodes. Smooth, shiny surfaces on the teeth, a sign of mineral loss.
What Is Tooth Discoloration? Tooth discoloration is when the color of your teeth change. They don't look as bright or white as they should. Your teeth may darken, turn from white to different colors, or develop white or dark spots in places.
Once tooth enamel is damaged, it cannot be brought back. However, weakened enamel can be restored to some degree by improving its mineral content. Although toothpastes and mouthwashes can never “rebuild” teeth, they can contribute to this remineralization process.
Brush the inside, outside, and chewing surfaces of your teeth. Brushing with a whitening toothpaste has also been scientifically shown to whiten your smile, according to a 2018 study. These whitening toothpastes contain mild abrasives that scrub the teeth to remove surface stain, but are gentle enough to be safe.
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.
Dental Plaque and Tartar can Turn Your Teeth Yellow at the Gum Line. Dental plaque is a soft and sticky film that regularly builds up on your teeth. Sometimes a thin layer of plaque appears clear, but turns yellow as it accumulates. Plaque develops when bacteria in the mouth combine with food byproducts and proteins.
Your dentist can also give you a take-home whitening kit. These kits contain a bleach that can remove deeper stains than the over the counter products found in stores, and may eventually return teeth to their naturally white shade.
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.
If you have a lot of fillings, dental bonding or crowns, you may not be a candidate for dental whitening. This is because restorations will not respond to whitening, and a whitening treatment could result in a very uneven appearance.
Teeth that have yellowed with age
As we age, the enamel becomes thinner due to wear and tear, revealing the underlying layer of tooth structure called dentin. Dentin is naturally yellowish and cannot be lightened with teeth whitening products.
Between the two natural shades, the B1 tooth shade is the whitest. A1 has a darker shade of white than B1. However, it is important to know that B1 is not currently the whitest shade in this world. Because of the introduction of bleaching products, white shades are now even lighter than the lightest B1 shade.
Is the B1 tooth shade too white? You may be surprised but in our opinion, the B1 shade is definitely not too white by any means. The reason why we say that is because there are shades that are even whiter than B1. Although these whiter shades are not natural like the B1 color though.