As you spruce yourself up this spring, you may notice you have yellow teeth. You’ll want to correct such smile flaws before you go out and socialize. With that said, you need to know what makes teeth turn yellow first; your attempts to treat them won’t matter otherwise. The good news is that your Temple dentist is here to help out. To that end, please keep reading to learn what causes yellow teeth and how to fix them.
What Makes Teeth Turn Yellow?
Rather than just one thing, several factors can cause teeth to turn yellow. The most common of these are:
- Wear & Tear – As you age, your teeth may turn yellow due to their enamel wearing away. This process slowly makes your yellowy dentin more visible.
- Poor Hygiene – If you don’t consistently brush and floss, your teeth will likely turn yellow. The buildup of plaque and tartar tends to darken enamel.
- Meal Choices – Often enough, certain foods and drinks can stain your teeth yellow. Examples of these include berries, tomato sauce, coffee, tea, and wine.
- A Smoking Habit – Smoking does more than cause cancer; it also stains your teeth. The nicotine in tobacco products is often absorbed into enamel, making your smile yellow and brown.
How Can You Fix Them?
You can easily address yellow teeth with cosmetic dentistry. To brighten up your smile, treatment would do one of two things: remove or hide your stains.
Remove Stains
If your tooth stains are mild ones, the best approach is to get teeth whitening. This treatment uses a special bleaching gel to remove the discoloration from your enamel. In many cases, it can be done at a dentist’s office or through a take-home kit.
Whatever its type, teeth whitening should make your grin six to eight shades brighter. You could then maintain this result with good oral hygiene and dental checkups.
Hide Stains
Some tooth stains – especially intrinsic ones – are stubborn and hard to remove. If those are the kinds you have, cosmetic dentistry could hide them from view. Treatment would cover the discolored areas with the appropriate tooth-colored material.
A cosmetic dentist has several ways to hide stubborn stains. One option is dental bonding, which applies tooth-colored resin to small smile flaws. Another is veneers – shells that hide your stains beneath porcelain, tooth-colored shells. You could trust either approach to make your smile much whiter.
Now that you know what causes yellow teeth, you’re in a better position to treat them. Consult with your dental provider to determine your final treatment option.
About the Author
Dr. Richard Fossum is a dentist based in Temple, TX, having earned his DDS from the UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry. His many years in the field have made him an expert in preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency dental care. That means you can trust him and his team to provide your smile with crucial help! Today, Dr. Fossum practices at his self-titled clinic and is reachable on his website and by phone at (254)-778-3900.