What Causes Yellow Teeth?

Ever feel bad having yellow teeth that were so white before and you feel like you can't get it back to its original form? Discoloration might be normal most especially as time goes by and there are a lot of changes in your diet. Of course, your teeth have already accumulated different types of food and drink that's why its color is also affected. 

Although yellow spots on your teeth don't need immediate dental care that you have to visit your dentist right away, it is always a good deal to bring them back to their original shade. And yes, luckily, you can always improve yellow teeth if you focus on your oral health more. But before that, you need to know first the causes of yellow spots on teeth in order to get rid of them fast.

Main Causes of Yellow Teeth

1. Wearing Out of the Enamel

Your teeth are protected by the enamel and when the enamel starts to wear out that's when your teeth turns to yellow. The cause of wearing out of the enamel is due to chewing and eating food that contains acid that turns into bacteria buildup that clings on your teeth. The good news is that you can still recover your tooth enamel if you know how to remineralize it. 

One of the effective ways to restore your enamel is by ensuring that you brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste. You can also get enough fluoride with the use of fluoridated water that is offered for free by the government. If you have enough fluoride, you will be able to remineralize your enamel because fluoride is very effective in polishing stains on your teeth. If you do this on a regular basis, the sooner you'll get back that pearly white smile.

2. Acids from Foods and Drinks

A lot of food that contains acid can stain teeth. The moment this acid clings on the surface of your teeth, it wears away your teeth, animal, or worse creates plaque. You know for sure if the food you consume is acidic or not even a salad that contains vinegar and other acidic ingredients added. Even chocolates can turn to acid and this acid will feed the bad bacteria in your mouth causing tooth decay, bad breath, and even gum problems.

Now if we talk about drinks, anything that contains sugar like sodas must be avoided. Don't forget that tea and coffees too are one of the enemies you have to cut off your diet because they create stains on your teeth. 

3. Smoking

When you smoke, you are also destroying your teeth and gums. The nicotine in cigarettes leaves yellow spots on your teeth and can even damage your gums that may lead to serious diseases like periodontitis.

4. Antibiotics

Some people will not notice that the color of their teeth changes when they start to take medications such as antibiotics and antihistamines. Yes, these types of medications can make teeth yellow, especially when taken as a maintenance. You can discuss this with your doctor if you want to take medications that will not affect your teeth. 

5. Genetics

Some yellow teeth can be inherited from your parents or anyone from your family. If you have noticed that you avoid the things above and your teeth are just yellow since you were a child, the cause might be genetics. Check on the teeth of your family members and see if you have the same shade of teeth.

6. Poor Oral Hygiene

Without any excuses, yellow teeth are caused by poor oral hygiene most of the time. When you skip brushing and flossing your teeth, that's when the yellow spots on the teeth start to show.

Here's what you need to do to get rid of yellow teeth:

1. Whitening Strips

Whitening strips are very effective in making your teeth white because they contain hydrogen peroxide that instantly whitens your teeth. Most whitening strips only contain 14% hydrogen peroxide and below to be considered safe to use. You can only use whitening strips once or twice per day for two weeks.

Directions:

Remove the plastic and place the side with whitening gel to your teeth aligning your gum line. Press the plastic on your teeth and fold the remaining plastic behind your teeth. 

2. Use Water Flosser

In order to remove the food stuck in between your teeth, it is necessary to floss. However, traditional string floss may not be ideal to use because it is time consuming and needs proper concentration knowing that if you pull the string harshly, it may hurt your teeth and gums. 

Use a water flosser instead that allows streaming water to thoroughly clean your teeth and gums. You can use it conveniently so you won't miss a day flossing to avoid yellow teeth. 

Steps in Using Water Flosser

1. Fill the reservoir with warm water before placing it on the base.
2. Water flossers come with different tips so choose the one that you favored the most. 
3. Click the tip into the handle.
4. Turn on the water flosser and set the control dial too high to let the water flow. (The next time you will use it, you can set the control dial to any type of pressure you want.)
5. In a sink, you have to lean over so that the water won’t stream down to your clothes.
6. Place the tip at the gumline and let the water flow to clean each tooth.
7. Move it from one gum to another.
8. Once you have finished flossing your teeth, turn the water flosser off and remove the tip.

Note: Instead of using water, you can also use mouthwash, just make sure to spit out the solution upon flossing. It would be best if you purchase a portable water flosser that comes with 4 jet tips so you can share the water flosser with the other members of your family. 

Disclaimer:

The content in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen. The author and publisher do not take responsibility for any consequences resulting from the information provided in this article.