We’ve all admired that celebrity smile and wondered, “what can I do to get a smile like that”. You’ve brushed your teeth over
and over, used whitening tooth paste, and you’ve even used over the counter whitening treatments, but still find that your smile isn’t as white as you’d like it to be. Though it doesn’t need immediate attention compared to other dental cases, yellow teeth can be disheartening and can knock your confidence down a notch or two. Here are 11 reasons why your teeth may be yellow.
1. Bad Oral Hygiene
Though the most obvious reason, it is also the easiest to fix. Routinely brushing your teeth, rinsing, and flossing will remove plaque build up and tartar that discolors teeth.
2. Genetics
Dentin is the layer of your tooth beneath your enamel. Naturally it is a yellow-brownish color. When enamel is thin, this color shows. Some people are born with brighter and thicker enamel than others.
3. Dark Colored Food/Beverages
The enamel on your teeth is filled with many ridges too small for the human eye to see. When you eat or drink dark colored foods/beverages, pigments from those items become embedded in those cracks and can cause permanent discoloration.
4. Acidic Foods
Acidic foods erodes enamel.
5. Tooth Grinding
Tooth grinding weakens enamel making teeth vulnerable to yellowing.
6. Smoking
Not only is smoking or chewing tobacco poor for your health, it also stains your teeth.
7. Age
You've been chewing food longer than the young folk and with that enamel naturally thins as you age.
8. Medication at a Young Age
Before 8 years old while your teeth are developing you have have taken antibiotics tetracycline and doxycycline, making teeth brownish-yellow.
9. Adulthood Medication
Chlorhexidine
chemotherapy directed at head and neck
Antihistamines
Albuterol
Blood Pressure Medication
10. Fluoride
Though fluoride is good for your teeth, an excess amount can lead to brownish-yellow teeth. Fluoride can be found in water, toothpaste, and mouth wash.
11. Trauma and Accidents
Accidents and physical trauma can damage a tooth's interior, causing discoloration that will need professional attention.
Depending on the cause for your yellow teeth, there are always ways to get the smile you’ve always wanted. Getting whiter teeth may mean changing your diet or lifestyle to a healthier one, or simply using whitening toothpastes. If you can’t fix the problem, your dentist will happily guide you to picking the treatment that’s best for you.
Looking for teeth whitening in the Northridge area? Click the image below for Northridge whitening.
