It isnaturalfor our teeth to lose their white sparkle as we age. The teeth’s enamel is slowly broken down over time, allowing the dentin underneath to show through. Dentin is a major component of the teeth and is found just below the enamel. It is a very hard tissue thatmaintains the structure of your teethand keeps the inner pulp cavity safe and healthy. Dentin is naturally yellow. As enamel is worn down, the yellow dentin below begins to show. So, it is very normal for older people to have yellow appearing teeth.
Yellowing can be normal but severe yellowing may cause the teeth tolook unhealthyand for your smile to become dull. There are many factors that could cause the early yellowing of teeth. The primary factor is diet. Highly acidic food and drinks like coffee, soda, tea, or tomatoes can quickly stain the teeth. This is also true for foods with deep colors like berries or red wine. Smoking and medicationsmay also discolor the teeth. Darkening and yellowing teeth often look unhealthy and mismatched.
Teeth whitening can help lift stains from the enamel and restore a glowing smile to your face.
How do the teeth become yellow?
The teeth become yellow over timedue to diet and lifestyle. Discoloration and yellowing can occur within an adult’s and children’s teeth. The staining that occurs on the teeth is often categorized by two terms: extrinsic and intrinsic.
EXTRINSIC STAINS
Stains that occur on the outside of the teeth, along the enamel, are considered extrinsic stains.
These stains affect the outermost layer of a tooth and can often be corrected with whitening techniques. Inadequate brushing, drinking a lot of tea or coffee or smoking are all typical sources of teeth staining. The stains will cause your teeth to look color and discolored. A good tip to keep in mind is thatanything that can stain your clothes can also stain your teeth. Dark-colored foods often high pigmentation that sticks to enamel, causing them to appear darker and yellow. Acidic foods may erode enamel and make it even easier for pigments to attach to the teeth. Extrinsic stains can often be removed.
INTRINSIC STAINS
Stains that occur within the tooth dentin are difficult to remove.
Yellowing and discoloration caused within the tooth isoften caused by medications. Children may develop yellow or dark teeth from taking antibiotics or doxycycline. Discolored teeth may even occur in babies whose mothers took tetracycline anytime after the fourth month of pregnancy. Many prescription-strength medications can cause staining of teeth, such as minocycline which is a drug that diminishes acne breakouts. Chemotherapy treatments often lead to the darkening of teeth.
More common medications like antihistamines, antipsychotics, and blood pressure medications can cause discoloration. Even fluoride, which is a mineral that strengthens enamel and helps prevent tooth decay can cause discolorations like white or dark splotches among teeth.
A dental appointment will help you determine if you haveinternal or external stains. Learning where your stains are located within your tooth will allow us to create your best treatment plan.
How do you fix yellow teeth?
Yellow teeth canoften be fixedwith teeth whitening treatments. At Old Town Smiles, we offer our patients cutting-edge treatments that efficiently and effectively whiten teeth. After a treatment with us you will have a dazzling smile that isup to ten shades brighter!
At-home whitening treatments can brighten the teeth as well but professional-strength treatments are always faster, more efficient and show immediate results. At-home solutions or over-the-counter treatments do not treat each tooth with care and precision. Whitening treatments found in drug stores often have a “one size fits all approach”. Whereas at our office we customize your treatment so that each tooth is improved.
At-home treatments and over-the-counter solutions do not have professional-grade whitening products. Our potent formulas willquickly erase stainsand help your teeth shine. We can help you achieve a white smile without the wait or gum staining that often occurs with home or drug store remedies.
Can you get yellow teeth white again?
Each tooth is unique and thesource of its stainswill relate to its health. Some discoloration can be caused by a dead tooth. A dead tooth is a tooth without blood flowing to it. Dead teeth can vary in darkness, and range from yellow to black.
Yes, most stains can easily be lifted from the teeth with professional whitening treatments. The strength of our treatments help patients transform their smile to a dazzling white! It is important to note that internal stains are more difficult to remove.
The longer the tooth doesn’t have blood flowing to it, the darker it will get. Dead teeth are often caused by trauma, decay, or gum disease. Root canals are often a source of dark teeth in adults. We can help create a whitening treatment toimprove your smile. However, a dead tooth should be replaced with a veneer, helping you achieve a consistent, beautiful smile.
Teeth will also stain to different degrees. A professional-grade whitening treatment will allow us to treat each tooth and help you achieve an even, brilliant smile.
Are yellow teeth healthy?
Yellow teeth are not necessarily an indication of unhealthy teeth. It isvery normalfor teeth to become yellow over time. If teeth start to become very yellow, sensitive, or if one tooth stands out as darker from others, it can be a cause for concern. This could be an indication of poor oral care. Not flossing enough, brushing well or attending bi-annual dental exams leads to poor dental health. Each of these actions arecrucial to the health of your teethand maintaining a bright smile.
Flossing keeps your gums and teeth healthy. Taking the time to floss each tooth helps to remove any food lodged between teeth. Left alone, this food can break down the enamel of the teeth and infect the gums. Similarly to flossing, brushing also helps to remove food and any left over bacteria on the teeth from eating and drinking throughout the day. Following these steps will keep your mouth healthy.
Bi-annual dental check-ups are a great way to have a record of your teeth as well as to prevent decay. Dental check-ups allow our staff to take x-rays anddeep cleanyour teeth. X-rays allow us to monitor the bone and tissue of your teeth and jaws. A deep cleaning will remove built-up plaque and tartar that are big contributors to yellowing teeth. Removing tartar and plaque willelongate the life of your teeth. These elements would otherwise break down your teeth and cause a discolored smile.
Yellow teeth are normal but it is important to practice healthy oral practices to keep your smile looking good and your oral health at its best.
What causes yellow teeth in a child?
Yellow teeth in children can be caused by medications. If your child has had to take antibiotics they likely haveyellow appearing teeth. Certain medications taken before the age of eight, often affect the color of the developing teeth. The color can be corrected but it isimportant to waituntil the child has all of their adult teeth. Call our office today to learn more about how your child can have a consistently white smile.
How do I permanently get rid of yellow teeth?
Teeth whitening is a long-term solution for yellow teeth. The length of your results will depend on your lifestyle and oral habits. We will develop a whitening solution thatfits your lifestyle. The best way to maintain white teeth is with dental cleanings. These cleanings remove harmful bacteria and build-up from your teeth that cause decay and yellowing.
How to get rid of yellow teeth at Old Town Smiles
At Old Town Smiles, wespecialize in brightening our patient’s smiles! We offer two solutions that can be performed separately or together to help you feel confident in your smile.
ZOOM 2
This treatment utilizes awhitening gel and blue lightto lighten the teeth by up to ten shades in less than an hour. This treatment is often referred to as power bleaching and provides immediate, dramatic results. You can easily pop in during a lunch break and return to work with a transformed smile.
TAKE HOME TRAYS
If you are looking for a convenient way to whiten your teeth from home, take-home trays are your solution. A tray is customized to the shape of each of your teeth. This tray allows our whitening gel toeffectively improve each toothwithout causing gum whitening as well. Apply the whitening gel, pop in the tray and you will be able to have whiter teeth in no time. Take-home trays are also a great way to keep your smile looking white. You can purchase more whitening gel and apply it whenyou are feeling your smile needs a pick-me-up.
We recommend patients combine the Zoom 2 and take home trays for maximum results.
Your smile says a lot about your health and who you are. We want the first thing people notice about you to bea dazzling, warm smile. Our simple teeth whitening treatments will reverse yellowing and help you feel more confident. Contact us today to learn more about yellow teeth and the solutions we provide.
