Teeth Are Often Stained Coffee, cola, berries, tomato sauce and wine all can stain teeth. Even tetracycline antibiotics and fluoride can cause stains at times. Even if you brush every day, your teeth will likely become stained over time if you regularly consume items that cause stains.
Everyone's teeth get a little duller with age because the outer enamel layer thins out over time. Beneath this white enamel layer is dentin, which is yellowish. Additionally, this yellow dentin grows thicker as you age, making your teeth look more yellow or duller every year.
Also, if you have poor oral health or an underlying medical condition that affects the teeth, the teeth whitening procedure may make the teeth yellow. This is because the dentin has a yellowish hue under the enamel. So, when the enamel thins, your teeth become translucent and may look yellow.
Can my teeth become white again after turning yellow? Yes, there are a number of ways that you can help whiten teeth again after they have yellowed, from changing toothpaste and mouthwash to dental hygiene appointments.
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.
Brushing your teeth diligently helps remove harmful plaque and bacteria from your teeth but isn't effective whiten them.
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.
How long a tooth whitening treatment will take and how white your smile will become depends on a range of factors. Mainly, it depends on how badly discoloured your teeth are to begin with. The yellower they are, the more intensive your treatment will need to be.
You may not be a candidate for teeth whitening. If you are allergic to peroxide, you will not be able to have your teeth whitened, since peroxide is the active ingredient in whitening systems. If you have a lot of fillings, dental bonding or crowns, you may not be a candidate for dental whitening.
Some people still have naturally whiter teeth than others. Maybe it's a result of good oral hygiene, maybe it's just good genetics, or maybe they're just young enough that their teeth haven't started yellowing yet. Unfortunately, all of our teeth tend to yellow and discolor with age.
How often teeth whitening treatments are recommended by dentists. Professional teeth whitening performed in the dentist's office is recommended once every year to every 18 months, depending on how long the results last. At-home kits can be used as often as once every four to six months.
Typically, 3 to 5 days of top-up whitening every 3 months will be enough to keep your teeth looking beautifully white. Lifestyle factors, such as smoking and dietary choices, will affect how often you require top-up teeth whitening treatments.
When the enamel is eroded so badly, in its thinnest form your inner layer can be seen, dentin. Dentin has a natural yellow color. So, if your enamel is transparent enough to show your dentin, your teeth look yellow even if you brush them every day.
Natural Enamel Thickness & Translucency
However, the underlying dentin layer has a slightly yellowish color. This yellowish hue shows through the enamel in almost everyone, but more so for those with naturally thinner or more translucent enamel. So your yellow teeth may be perfectly normal due to your genetics!
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.
This is because the enamel, the protective layer outside your teeth, is white, but can be thinner for some people and even translucent. The layer directly under the enamel is light yellow. Therefore, it is perfectly natural to have a light yellow color on your teeth, and it is not caused by poor oral health.
Thankfully, yellow teeth aren't forever. Not only can your teeth be whitened, but you can also adopt habits that keep them looking good. Use this blog to learn about why teeth become yellow, how you can fix them, and what you can do to prevent future discoloration.
Yellow Teeth
This is the most common color of teeth. A light-yellow color indicates a strong healthy smile. The natural color of your dentin, the layer of tiny tubules that lies beneath your enamel and connects to the dental nerve in each tooth, is yellow.
Calcium Deficiency
Calcium is one of the essential vitamins for your dental health. It helps teeth and bones remain strong and healthy, and it prevents jaw bone deterioration teeth from becoming brittle or yellowing with age. A calcium deficiency can lead to teeth discoloration as well as tooth loss.
Poor Oral Hygiene
Stained teeth also can be a sign of plaque buildup or tooth decay. When you do not routinely brush, floss and rinse your mouth to remove plaque buildup and help prevent tartar buildup, this can hasten teeth discoloration.
1. Their Permanent Teeth Are Starting to Come in. 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.
Baking soda is good for teeth whitening because it is a very mild abrasive, which helps remove stains from the surface of your teeth. In addition, baking soda is alkaline and salty, which helps lighten acid-based food stains – such as those from coffee, tea, and red wine – on teeth.
Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach that can help to whiten stained teeth . For optimal whitening, a person can try brushing with a mix of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide for 1–2 minutes twice a day for a week.
The best time to whiten your teeth is in the morning after you've brushed and flossed. This way, the bleaching agent will have a chance to work on your teeth while you're awake and able to keep your mouth clean.