Everyone wants pearly whites. Why? Well, teeth colour plays a critical role in smile perfection. So if you have yellow teeth, understanding the causes and teeth whitening treatments can help restore your smile.
What is tooth yellowing?
Tooth yellowing is a type of teeth discolouration that makes teeth look yellowish. The severity of teeth yellowing varies, from unnoticeable tints to visible dark yellow. Some cases worsen over time. Although yellow teeth do not meet the definition of urgent dental conditions, they can undermine your confidence and self-esteem. As a result, most people with yellow teeth smile less often to hide this dental flaw.
Here is everything you need to know about yellow teeth, causes, and treatment options.
What causes Yellow Teeth?
There isn't one single cause of teeth yellowing. Instead, most cases of teeth discolourations develop due to several contributing factors. However, here are the leading causes of yellow teeth:
Foods and Beverages:
Consuming dark foods and drinks like coffee, tea, and wine is one of the leading yellow-teeth causes. Healthy farm products like apples are recommended to improve oral health, but eating these foods can stain your teeth. Soft and energy drinks may also be the reason why you have yellow teeth. Dark sauces and spices contain pigments, which can stain teeth. However, most food stains only cling to the tooth's surface and discolour teeth enamel.
Poor Oral Hygiene:
If you don't brush and floss your teeth regularly, food debris can accumulate between your teeth. As a result, they create thin yellowish layers on the tooth's surface and hardens over time, leading to plaque and tartar buildup. To protect your pearly whites, brush your teeth twice a day and rinse your mouth thoroughly.
Tobacco Use:
Tobacco contains nicotine, a natural-occurring substance with several health risks. When you smoke or chew tobacco, nicotine clings to your tooth's enamel. Nicotine buildup can cause yellow and brown stains on teeth. If you care about your pearly whites and overall health, quit tobacco smoking and chewing.
Disease and Medications:
Some health conditions affect teeth enamel and dentin, leading to teeth yellowing. For example, young children's teeth can turn yellowish after using some medications like antibiotics tetracycline. Treatments like chemotherapy are also known to discolour teeth.
Fluorosis:
Although fluoride remineralizes and strengthens teeth, it can change the colour of your teeth. This type of teeth discolouration is known as fluorosis and is linked to fluoridated water and fluoride toothpaste.
Ageing:
Age-related wear and tear can reduce the thickness of teeth enamel. This outer layer covers the dentin, a reddish material. Thinning of teeth enamel reveals the dentin, creating a yellowish tint.
Genetics:
Some people naturally have yellow teeth inherited from their parents or grandparents. Hereditary tooth discolouration comes in four shades, yellowish, brownish, gray, and reddish-gray.
So, why are your teeth yellow when you brush them every day? Well, maybe yellow teeth run in your family. Other yellow-teeth causes include dental trauma and oral injuries, which interfere with enamel formation.
Can yellow teeth become white?
Yes, you can whiten yellow teeth! Teeth discolouration is not a lifetime sentence. In today's digital age, you have access to highly effective teeth whitening treatments. But there isn't a one-fits-all teeth whitening procedure. For example, if your teeth are yellowish due to poor oral hygiene, oral hygiene applications like teeth cleaning and brushing twice a day can remove surface stains and restore your pearly whites. But you'll need more than a toothbrush to whiten badly discoloured teeth due to unavoidable causes like disease, ageing, and genetics.
How can I whiten my teeth?
When it comes to teeth whitening, you can either use at-home or professional teeth whitening. At-home teeth whitening treatments include hydrogen peroxides, DIY remedies, and over-the-counter products like whitening toothpaste and strips. However, professional teeth whitening is safer, faster, and more effective than at-home whitening options. To determine the best teeth whitening treatment for you, visit a dental office.
How to Fix Discoloured Teeth
The best way to fix discoloured teeth varies depending on the underlying cause and other factors, such as oral health. Your Toronto cosmetic dentist will conduct several tests and consult with you to acquire information about your lifestyle. Then, they'll combine your test results and habits to determine the underlying causes and the best teeth whitening treatments to remove the stains on teeth enamel. Here are the five most effective cosmetic dental procedures to fix discoloured teeth:
Professional Teeth Whitening:
Your dental hygienist can recommend peroxide-based, laser, or Zoom teeth whitening. These whitening systems combine hydrogen peroxide gels and lasers to remove yellow stains on teeth. Dental hygienists usually conduct deep cleaning before teeth whitening treatments to guarantee the best results.
Porcelain Veneers:
Your Toronto dentist can use porcelain veneers to fix your discoloured teeth. These tooth-shaped shells cover up the defects on the front of teeth. You can also rely on porcelain veneers to improve the shape and size of teeth.
Teeth Bonding:
This cosmetic dentistry procedure uses tooth-coloured composite resins to cover flaws and fix stained teeth. Your Toronto dentist will apply the bonding material on stained areas of your teeth and hardens it with UV light to fuse firmly to the enamel's surface.
Dental Crowns:
A dentist or prosthodontist can recommend dental crowns to fix discoloured teeth. These tooth-shaped caps encase the entire tooth and cover visible defects, such as stains, chips, and cracks. Toronto Smile Design Clinic leverages advanced technologies to develop aesthetic and long-lasting porcelain crowns.
How can I make my yellow teeth white in one day?
To get rid of yellow stains on teeth in one day, visit a dental clinic. Your Toronto cosmetic dentist can combine DSD with procedures like teeth whitening, veneers, bonding, and dental crowns to give you a brighter smile. Zoom teeth whitening is highly effective for removing brown colour on teeth. It will whiten your teeth within 45-60 minutes. If your tooth is yellowish and mishappen, dental bonding can fix both in one office visit. Porcelain crowns and dental veneers are also ideal for fixing yellow teeth. However, these procedures can take longer than teeth whitening and dental bonding.
How can I make my yellow teeth permanently white?
The best strategy is to address the underlying cause. If your teeth are yellowish due to poor oral hygiene, consider brushing and flossing regularly. It can remove surface stains and protect your pearly whites. However, some causes of yellow teeth, like ageing and genetics, are beyond your control. You'll need more targeted treatment options like porcelain veneers and teeth bonding. The best porcelain veneers and dental crowns in Toronto are indistinguishable from your natural teeth. They are more aesthetically pleasing and longer-lasting than composite resins for bonding. Porcelain veneers and crowns last for 10-15 years, while dental bonding is replaced every 5-7 years.
To whiten stained teeth, choose a dentist with years of experience in cosmetic dentistry procedures. You can rely on Toronto Smile Design - Yorkville Dental to whiten yellow or brown teeth and improve your smile.
Why Toronto Smile Design - Yorkville Dental?
Toronto Smile Design's Dr. Johnson Ozgur is a Toronto dentist and experienced in cosmetic dentistry procedures. Dr. Johnson holds a Master's Degree in Oral Surgery with years of experience in teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, dental crowns, teeth bonding, dental implants, and more. So to attain whiter teeth and a brighter smile, contact Toronto Smile Design - Yorkville Dental today!
