The general impression on yellow teeth is that it is due to natural aging process of teeth. Yellow teeth usually occur as a result of excessive staining of the teeth due to smoking, drinking tea or coffee etc. These activities lead to the yellowing of the teeth gradually. A yellow tooth can be described as surface staining of teeth. The worrying fact is that this surface staining usually occurs in the front teeth.
What are the causes of yellow teeth?
Let us first deal with the natural causes of the yellow teeth. As mentioned earlier, yellow teeth also develops naturally in some persons with aging. This is attributed to the reason that the outer coating of the enamel thins with aging. The enamel is the protective covering of the tooth. It has a hard outer coating that is white in color. As the age progresses, this coating becomes more and more thin, exposing the inner portion’s yellow-gray color. This yellow-grey color that the inner portion exhibits makes the tooth look yellow.
These natural causes are less common. In most of the cases, the yellow teeth is due to the daily activities in which the teeth in involved.
These daily activities include smoking, drinking tea or coffee, chewing tobacco etc. These activities stain the enamel to a great extend .The smoke and liquids such as tea, coffee etc pass through the teeth and there by staining them. The unfortunate thing is that this surface staining usually occurs in the front teeth. As a result of these extensive staining, yellow teeth appears.
There could also be other rare reasons for yellow teeth.
The intake of certain medication at younger age can be the reason for the blotchy color of your teeth. This medication is the use of an antibiotic known as tetracycline. Also the consumption of water which has too much fluoride content can lead to the discoloration of the teeth. These are very rare reasons for the yellow teeth. But the more common reason is smoking, chewing tobacco, drinking tea or coffee etc.
How can you prevent the yellow teeth?
The best possible thing you can do to prevent yellow teeth is avoiding frequent consumption of tea or coffee and smoking that stains your teeth.
Stopping the constant eating of sweets will help in a great deal to fight or prevent yellow teeth. This is because the sweets invite the bacteria that cause decay in your mouth.
Make sure that you drink enough water after your meal. The water washes away the decay causing bacteria. Avoid munching on chewy or sticky candy, as candy has a recipe for cavities. Eating enough vegetables and fruits can prevent the infection to the gums. The chewing of sugary gum could prove to be dangerous for your teeth. Therefore avoiding sugary gum and replacing it with a gum that is sugar free is good as it acts as cleanser after your meal.
What are the treatments for yellow teeth?
In milder cases, the yellow teeth can be treated at home itself. These home treatments include simple treatments like chewing gums that whiten the gums after drinking tea or coffee. It is also an effective preventive measure for yellow teeth.
The treatment that a dentist gives to whiten the teeth depends on the cause of yellow teeth. Hence based on the cause, the dental hygienist gives professional cleaning to the teeth. The treatments also aids in keeping the teeth healthy and lasting till death .Some of the common treatments that dentist gives include bleaching, which is nothing but the whitening of teeth. It also includes capping the front teeth evenly. This is done by covering the teeth with a material that is similar to enamel. There are also other advanced highly technical and laser treatments that are available for whitening the teeth. These treatments are expensive and can be preceded by dental insurance.
The teeth can be whitened during surgery using strong peroxide and also with laser treatment. In milder cases, you can do the whitening process by yourself using a weaker substance and dental trays. These should be molded by the dentist.
The bottom line is that, you can prevent the yellow teeth by stopping smoking, avoiding consuming excess tea, coffee. Brushing your teeth properly and regularly is the simple way of getting good, healthy teeth. After all, a whiter smile makes you look good than you actually are!
