What are the main causes of yellowing teeth?
1. Dental orthodontics
Orthodontics is an excellent treatment for straightening misaligned teeth. The connection of fixed and mobile orthodontic devices can make taking care of oral hygiene a little more difficult and time-consuming, and if people cannot clean their mouth and teeth as they should, they will face a change in the color of the teeth over time. Of course, most people will not face this problem because they observe hygiene.
2. Genetics and heredity
Sometimes the yellows of teeth in people can have a genetic origin, and no matter how much people follow oral and dental hygiene, they still cannot reverse the changes in tooth color. Color change in these people usually does not have any special problem and is not considered dangerous, but they should observe oral hygiene more than other people and visit the dentist's office.
3. Weakening and thinning of tooth enamel
The tooth consists of 3 layers. The most important layer of the tooth, which is white, is the enamel. Beneath this layer is the dentin, which is not hard and clear unlike enamel. The color of this layer is almost yellow.
Enamel is made up of minerals, and when the minerals that make up this layer are lost, the enamel thins and the underlying layer, which is yellow, is exposed.
4. Increasing age
One of the main causes of yellowing teeth is aging. With age, tooth enamel naturally degrades. As the age increases, a person eats more food and chews more. The combination of all these events eventually causes the teeth to turn yellow and weaken them. In other words, even if you completely observe oral and dental hygiene, you may still encounter some degree of yellowing and discoloration of the teeth.
5. Smoking
Nicotine in cigarette smoke is harmful to almost all parts of the body. Due to the presence of this substance, smoking can change the color of the teeth in a short period of time, and at first it causes the teeth to turn yellow, and finally the color becomes darker (for example, brown).
6. Eating some foods
A wide variety of foods can stain teeth. Tomatoes, various sauces, curry spices and most types of berries such as strawberries, blueberries, etc. contain pigments that stick to tooth enamel and stain this surface.
Even a healthy salad with balsamic vinegar dressing can leave an unpleasant stain on your teeth. In order to prevent this color change, you should consume less food containing these pigmented substances and wash your mouth with water immediately after consumption.
7. Consumption of some drinks
Coffee and tea are two common causes of yellowing teeth, especially in adults. Of course, drinking alcohol-based wines can have much worse effects on the teeth. Dark-colored carbonated drinks also change the basic color of teeth over time.
8. Use of antibiotics
Antibiotics such as tetracycline cause discoloration and staining of teeth when they are erupting from the gums. If a mother takes antibiotics in the second half of her pregnancy, there is a possibility that the child's teeth will turn yellow or stain them in the future. Also, the use of antibiotics before the age of 8 by people can have similar effects on permanent teeth.
9. Dental fluorosis
Fluoride is good for teeth, but too much fluoride can cause yellow or brownish-yellow spots called fluorosis. Fluoride water, fluoride toothpaste, and fluoride therapy tablets and methods are the biggest sources of fluoride. If people (especially children) receive high amounts of fluoride, they will face the problem of yellowing of the teeth or the formation of stains on the surface of the teeth.
10. Injuring and hitting the teeth
Hitting the tooth can break the tooth enamel and discolor the tooth. For example, there may be bleeding under the enamel and the tooth may appear red or brown. If the tooth is cracked, it will turn yellow in the cracked area.
11. Grinding teeth or bruxism
Bruxism or teeth grinding means grinding the teeth together intentionally or unconsciously. This may follow the experience of stress, anger, or anxiety. or done unconsciously in sleep.
Grinding teeth causes the erosion of tooth enamel, and with the loss of enamel, the underlying layer, i.e. dentin or dentine, becomes visible, especially on the chewing surfaces. This layer is yellow and dark. As the enamel thins and the dentin is exposed, the appearance of the tooth changes color and becomes dark. Therefore, grinding teeth can also be a main cause of yellowing of our smile.
How to whiten teeth?
Following the yellowing of the teeth, it can partially whiten the teeth again by observing oral and dental hygiene. But if we have encountered too much discoloration, we should seek help from a dentist.
3 methods that a dentist may consider for teeth whitening are in-office teeth bleaching, at-home teeth bleaching, and the use of teeth whitening dental products such as toothpaste containing whitening agents.
Teeth bleaching in the office is the best treatment for yellowing teeth
Bleaching means whitening the teeth and bleaching in the office means to make the teeth a few shades whiter with the help of a dentist and in the office. During this treatment, the teeth are first cleaned and actually scaled, and then whitening gel is placed on the teeth.
The whitening gel is activated with the help of the light cure device that emits light with a specific wavelength. Then the ingredients in the gel attack the pigments that are on the tooth enamel and to some extent in its depth. After repeating this treatment several times, the teeth will become whiter.
