Yellowing teeth: Myths and causes

Teeth discolouration is something we all have to deal with at some point in our life. There are several reasons that cause the yellowing of our teeth, but is the discolouration also a sign of bad oral health? And how can you get your pearly whites back? In this article, we examine the possible reasons that cause yellow teeth and, more importantly, give advice on how to limit discolouring.

Yellow teeth. Not many of us are a fan of the look of them, but are they also a sign of bad oral health? The yellow colour will start subtle but will become more apparent after time. Does this mean that if you get rid of the reason, you can get rid of the yellow colour? Actually, yes it can! So if you step up your oral hygiene routine, it will not only help you to get your teeth a little whiter, but it will also improve your overall oral health!

Teeth yellowing: Myth or cause?

Diet – Cause

Teeth can become yellow or discoloured due to the food and beverages you consume. It will help to rinse your mouth with water after drinking your coffee, wine or tea. It would, however, be ideal if you would brush your teeth after consuming these beverages. Don’t brush your teeth right after you have consumed acidic foods or beverages, though! You might damage your teeth’s enamel and cause erosion. In this article, you can read about how to exactly avoid acid damage.

Yellow teeth indicate bad oral health – Myth

Even though a build-up of plaque can make teeth look more yellow, this doesn’t indicate anything necessarily about the health of your teeth. Especially if the yellowness is due to your food or beverage consumption. In that case, if you have a good oral care routine in place and visit your dentist regularly for check-ups then you should have nothing to worry about.

Smoking – Cause

Smoking or chewing tobacco can also have a bad influence on our oral health, besides the chance of developing diseases, you also damage your teeth. Your teeth will stain and turn yellow over time. Rinsing your mouth and brushing your teeth afterwards can help you to keep your teeth white.

Straws will save your teeth from staining and discolouration – Myth

Contrary to popular belief, using a straw will not totally save your teeth. The liquids will still swish around in your mouth after taking a sip through a straw, which means that your teeth still could get affected by your beverage. Using a straw can relieve the front of the teeth a bit more than drinking regularly.

Age and genetics – Cause

With age, our teeth start to become more yellow. Your enamel will naturally wear down and your teeth becoming more yellow is thus something that will happen to all of us. The thickness of our enamel is genetically determined and will thus affect how white our teeth appear as we age.

Remedies

Toothpaste

You can improve the colour of your teeth by taking good care of them. Brushing twice a day will help you achieve whiter teeth, but you can get a little extra help by using a whitening toothpaste or one that removes stains. The Green Clean Gentle Whitening Toothpaste and the Clinic Gentle Whitening Toothpaste, for example, can help you achieve whiter teeth already after 2 weeks of daily use!
Dental floss

Besides brushing your teeth, using dental floss will help you to keep your teeth clean and healthy. With flossing, you remove plaque and food that is stuck between your teeth, in this article you can read about how to use dental floss correctly.
A good toothbrush

In this article it’s discussed why electric toothbrushes are more effective in brushing away stains on your teeth than a normal toothbrush. The Jordan Clean Smile will help you brush your teeth thoroughly. This toothbrush has a built-in pressure sensor, which means that the brush will let you know when you are brushing too hard. This is important since if you brush too hard, you will brush away your enamel.
Develop an oral care routine early

When you were young and your teeth were perfectly white, you probably did not pay much attention to them. After growing up, however, it becomes a little more difficult to keep them white. It is therefore essential to develop a good oral hygiene routine when you’re young. In this article, you can read how you can help your kids establish a good and lasting oral hygiene routine. Aside from a good oral care routine, it can be wise to become aware of certain foods and beverages that can damage your teeth and cause yellow teeth.

Sources

Casado, B. G. S., Moraes, S. L. D., Souza, G. F. M., Guerra, C. M. F., Souto-Maior, J. R., Lemos, C. A. A., Vasconcelos, B. C. E., & Pellizzer, E. P. (2018). Efficacy of dental bleaching with whitening dentifrices: A systematic review. International Journal of Dentistry, 2018, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7868531

Cirino, E. (2019, December 2). How to get rid of yellow teeth? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/how-to-get-rid-of-yellow-teeth

Terézhalmy, G., Walters, P., Bartizek, R., Grender, J., Biesbrock, A. (2008). A clinical evaluation of extrinsic stain removal: A rotation-oscillation power toothbrush versus dental prophylaxis. The journal of contemporary dental practice, 9(5), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.5005/jcdp-9-5-1

WebMD. (2020). Tooth discolouration. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/tooth-discoloration