Why Are My Teeth Yellow?

If you’ve ever spent time with an interior decorator, gone shopping for a wedding dress, or considered what color to paint your walls, you know that “white” isn’t just one color - it’s a spectrum. When it comes to teeth, you may be surprised to learn that they’re not naturally bright white. We often hear questions from our patients like “Why are my teeth yellow, even though I brush twice a day?”

It helps to look at the structure of your teeth, and then understand why each may contribute to yellowing teeth. The outermost layer of your teeth is called the enamel, a translucent coating that protects your teeth. Then you’ll find dentin, which is a dense, yellowish material that actually gives your teeth their color. When your enamel is thin you may see the dentin more prominently. Some people are born with thin enamel, others have enamel wear over time.

Common Reasons for Yellow Teeth

Many factors affect the coloration (or discoloration) of your enamel and dentin.

• Diet - strong, deeply colored food transmits stains and color to your teeth. This will usually show up as a yellowing of the teeth whether the food and beverage is brown (like coffee), red (wine, berries) or another strong color.
• Smoking & tobacco - we’ve all seen what smoke can do to common, everyday items. It does the same number on your teeth, causing discoloration.
• Poor oral hygiene - accumulating plaque and debris from food or drink sitting on your teeth can lead stains to set. Brushing your teeth regularly, along with flossing and rinsing, is critical.
• Aging - our enamel wears as we age, causing the dentin to become more visible.
• Medication - some medication or supplements can cause discoloration inside your tooth (intrinsic discoloration) or on your tooth surface (extrinsic discoloration).
• Genetics - like father, like son. Sometimes we just have Mom and Dad to thank for thin enamel or strongly colored dentin.

How to Prevent Teeth from Staining?

An ounce of prevention. An apple a day. Be prepared. We know all the pithy sayings about the value of preventing problems before they occur, and tooth stains are no different. You don’t need to have your teeth whitened if you can prevent them from staining in the first place.

While we won’t ever be able to avoid the effects of aging or genetics, we can follow best practices to make sure that your teeth are as white as possible for you. Reduce or eliminate the consumption of staining, strongly colored food (like coffee, tea, red wine). It’s always a good time to quit smoking and your smile would thank you for it today. And if you do come across them, try to brush as soon as possible afterwards.

Additionally, don’t skimp on the experts - regularly scheduled dental cleanings and checkups will enlist the help of the real magic-workers (we call them ‘dentists’, not ‘wizards’) to keep your smile sparkling.

How to Get Rid of Yellow Teeth?

To get rid of yellow teeth, it’s important to note that we almost always want to get rid of the yellow, but keep the teeth! Assuming that is the case and your teeth are otherwise healthy, you’d choose between an in-office whitening procedure, a dentist-prescribed at-home treatment, or an over-the-counter whitening treatment.

Professional whitening will be more costly but provide more immediate results that last longer than at-home options.

Is Teeth Whitening the Right Option?

Teeth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dental procedure performed for a reason. It is the right option for many, many people. However, it works best on extrinsic stains – those caused on the surface of your tooth by food, beverage, tobacco, or poor oral hygiene.

If your staining and discoloration is intrinsic - caused by medication, trauma, genetics, or (again) poor oral hygiene, teeth whitening may not be the right solution since the whitening agent won’t affect the component of your tooth that is responsible for its altered color. In those cases, dental veneers or cosmetic bonding might be the right choice.

Not sure whether your stains are on the outside (extrinsic) or inside (intrinsic) of your teeth? A dental consultation is critical. Get in touch with your local Riccobene Family Dentistry office today.

Teeth Whitening Methods

Once you and your dentist have established that tooth whitening is appropriate for you, there are a couple decisions left to make. Most importantly, what method do you choose?

Different Colors of Teeth and What They Mean?

We usually hear from patients who are concerned about their teeth yellowing, which is often a sign of staining and/or poor oral hygiene but may also be associated with medical or genetic causes. Sometimes, though, we see other colors. They each mean something different may be happening:

• Gray - trauma (being hit in the mouth by something or someone, often from falls or accidents) or medication like tetracycline can cause teeth to gray.
• Brown - sometimes when yellow goes too far, it’ll cross into the ‘brown’ territory and can be caused by the same factors as yellowing, like poor oral hygiene and dietary choices. It could also be caused by tooth decay or enamel erosion/thinning.
• White - white spots could be a sign of fluorosis, which is caused by excessive exposure to fluoride. They also could be caused by demineralization, the loss of minerals from teeth. This can happen because of hygiene or from work being done in your mouth, like wearing braces.

It’s important to keep an eye on the color of your teeth, and note if they ever start changing colors. Changing colors in your mouth would be a sign to immediately check in with your dentist.

When to Visit the Dentist?

They say change is inevitable, but when it comes to your oral health, any unexplained change is often bad. If you see your teeth suddenly changing color, or begin experiencing new symptoms like pain or sensitivity, it is time to book an appointment. Call or schedule today.

FAQs

Can professional whitening remove yellow stains?

Yes - yellow stains on teeth can be removed with professional whitening, especially extrinsic stains on the surface of teeth.

Is the yellowing of teeth permanent?

Whether yellowing of teeth is permanent or reversible depends on the reason one’s teeth are yellowing to begin with. In many cases, it is not permanent and can be reversed with professional whitening and rigorous oral hygiene.

How long do whitening results last?

Results can last for as long as months to years with professional, in-office whitening to as short as days or weeks for at-home, over-the-counter treatments.

Can genetics cause yellow teeth?

Yes - genetics can cause yellow teeth. The thickness and strength of your enamel as well as the natural color of your dentin are all affected by your genetics.

What foods and drinks should I avoid to prevent yellow teeth?

To prevent yellow teeth, avoid food and drink with strong colors. Also avoid food with compounds that can damage your teeth like sugar, acids or tannins. Specifically, avoid coffee, tea, red wine, sugary or brightly colored sport drinks, and brightly colored berries.