There are many reasons teeth can appear yellow. Most of the time yellow teeth are generally caused by surface staining. That’s why as we get older our teeth often get darker, picking up more and more staining.
Our Leicester dentists often whiten peoples teeth that have been stained as a result of their diet. The obvious culprits are tea, coffee and red wine, but there are many more not so obvious causes such as green tea – yup, green tea may be good for your body but it can cause tooth staining, tomatoes in pasta sauce, curry spices and berries all contain pigments that cling to tooth enamel and stain the surface.
The good news is that while your teeth may not look like the ideal set of pearly whites, teeth stained from your diet are actually perfectly healthy. If you wanted to improve the colour of your teeth though there are a few things you can do:
• Have a dental hygiene appointment. Plaque buildup on the teeth can make them appear more yellow having this removed and the teeth polished will remove the plaque and some surface staining. Regular hygiene appointments will keep on top of the staining and help your mouth to stay fresher and healthier.
• Buy an electric toothbrush. At our Leicester dental clinic, we recommend the Phillips Sonicare toothbrush. This can help to remove some staining and will help to remove new staining each time you brush.
• Professional Tooth Whitening. If you want to lighten your teeth by several shades then professional tooth whitening will give you the best results. Our Enlighten Ultimate treatment guarantees you’ll achieve the lightest natural tooth shade on our chart.
• Adjust your diet. We know it isn’t easy! It’s tough to start the day if you’re used to that cup of coffee to get you going or of course relaxing with a cup of tea. Oh, and what no curry!
There are also a few other reasons that your teeth may be yellow and it’s definitely worth speaking to your dental health team for advice:
– Tooth wear. The outer layer of the tooth is called enamel and is whiter than the underlying layer dentine which tends to be quite yellow. Tooth wear can occur because of a few things such as acids in the diet fizzy or fruit drinks, acid reflux and toothbrush abrasion – brushing too hard, incorrect technique or with a hard bristle toothbrush can cause the enamel to be worn away and show the yellow dentine layer.
– Fluorosis. Fluoride is good for teeth, but excess fluoride in early adulthood can cause yellow or brownish yellow spots called fluorosis. Avoid fluorosis by using the right amount of toothpaste for your child and make sure they spit out the toothpaste and not swallow it.
– Antibiotics. Tetracycline antibiotics stain teeth when they’re still developing in the gums. If your mother took antibiotics in the second half of her pregnancy, or you took them before the age of eight, you may have permanently stained adult teeth.
– Tooth Grinding. Also known as bruxism, it’s quite harmful to tooth enamel and the teeth. Many people are unaware that they are grinding their teeth. Tooth grinding is an unconscious habit some people have when they’re stressed, especially while asleep. It grinds down the tooth enamel and can be harmful to your dental health.
The best way to take care of your teeth is by visiting your local dental practice for tailored advice.
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