A Complete Guide for Yellow Stained Teeth: Causes and Treatment

Your smile is your best accessory, and the appearance of your teeth can enhance or affect it. If your teeth are stained, you will lack the confidence to smile or talk, particularly around new people. This impacts your performance at work or school. Fortunately, you can improve your smile through teeth whitening in Hamilton, ON. Read on for more about yellow-stained teeth.

What Causes Yellow Stained Teeth?

Aging Teeth contain the white outer surface known as the enamel. Beneath the enamel, there is a yellowish part known as dentin. As you grow older, the enamel thins due to daily wear and tear. This exposes your tooth dentin making the teeth appear yellow.

1. Smoking or tobacco use

If you smoke or use tobacco, your teeth’ surface will develop a yellowish or brownish color. The nicotine from tobacco stains teeth over time, making them unattractive. Fortunately, professional teeth whitening can eliminate tobacco stains making your smile brighter.

2. Poor oral hygiene

People who neglect practicing routine oral hygiene allow plaque and tartar to build up on teeth. These cover the tooth surface, causing them to look discolored. You can prevent this by brushing, flossing, or rinsing your mouth daily to remove plaque. The dentist can remove the plaque and tartar, leaving your teeth whiter.

3. Medications

Medications such as antibiotics can darken teeth in kids younger than eight years. That is why pregnant and lactating women are warned against taking certain antibiotics. The medicines cause developing kids’ teeth to turn a grey-brown color. Some antihistamines, blood pressure, and antipsychotic medications also stain teeth.

4. Genes

Some people have yellow-stained teeth due to genetics. If your parent’s teeth are yellow, yours too are likely to be yellow. The yellowing may be due to a thin enamel or thick dentin. This cannot be prevented, but it can be rectified through teeth whitening treatments

5. Diet

What you eat or drink can lead to dental discoloration. Foods that contain dark pigments can stain your teeth’ enamel. They include sauces, curries, and berries. Drinks can also stain teeth, making them appear yellowish. Such beverages include tea, coffee, wine, sodas, and sports drinks with artificial coloring.

6. Dental fluorosis

Fluoride is beneficial to teeth if used correctly. However, when teeth are exposed to excess fluoride, they can develop yellow or brownish spots. Fortunately, the dentist can perform whitening treatments for a more attractive smile.

7. Dental trauma

If you suffer a dental injury, your tooth can crack or fracture, affecting the inner part. This may lead to damage to the tissues in the dental pulp, such as blood vessels and nerves. Over time, the tooth will discolor since it will lack adequate nutrients to nourish it. The same can happen if you grind your teeth, as you will damage the enamel and expose the yellow dentin.

Treating Yellow-Stained Teeth

There are various methods to whiten your yellow teeth and improve your smile. They include professional teeth whitening, over-the-counter treatments, and home remedies. Over-the-counter treatments and home remedies remove surface stains, not yellow or brown discolorations. In addition, they may burn your gums or cause extreme tooth sensitivity.

Therefore, the best way to eliminate yellow stains on teeth is in-office or professional teeth whitening. The process is straightforward and involves the use of hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. These are teeth-bleaching agents that break surface and deep stains on teeth. They reduce the concentration of the yellow color making your teeth appear up to 10 times brighter.

The dentist will apply the bleaching agent on the teeth taking care not to get the peroxide on your gums. They will then shine a special light on the teeth to accelerate the bleaching process. Once the teeth are whitened to the desired color, the dentist will clean them to remove the peroxide. They may use the laser or Zoom! Teeth whitening system to brighten your smile.

However, if your teeth are permanently stained, they will not respond to whitening treatments. These include teeth that are discolored due to genes, medications, or dental trauma. Therefore, the dentist will use other methods to improve your smile. For example, they may perform dental bonding or a dental veneer procedure.

Do you have stained teeth that affect your smile and confidence? Then contact us at Rymal Family Dental. Our highly trained and experienced dentists will whiten your teeth, making your smile beautiful.