What causes yellow or discolored teeth?
Are your teeth yellowed or discolored? Do you want to improve your smile? You should first assess your goals and whitening needs by looking at your smile and any habits that could have contributed to discoloration.
- Diet – Yellow teeth can be caused by certain foods high in tannins such as red wine. Drinking tea, coffee, and wine are some of the leading causes of tooth discoloration. These substances can penetrate the enamel of your teeth, causing long-term discoloration.
- Smoking – Smoking is a leading cause of yellowing or browning teeth. The stains can be very stubborn. Smokers can improve their smiles by quitting smoking and following a thorough oral care regimen that includes twice daily brushing and flossing as well as the use of the right teeth-whitening products.
- Illness : Some medical conditions and medications can also cause yellowing or discoloration of teeth. Patients undergoing chemotherapy for head and neck cancers might develop yellowed or discolored teeth. Stains can also be caused by certain prescription medications, such as medications for asthma or high blood pressure.
- Poor oral hygiene: Yellowing teeth can be caused by poor oral hygiene. However, even the best flossers and brushers may not see the signs of discoloration.
- Fluoride – Too much fluoride can cause stained teeth in children especially. You should have continuous dental supervision to whiten stained teeth from excessive fluoride exposure.
There are many options for whitening products if stained teeth have made you unhappy with your smile.
Consider the reasons for stained teeth when you think about teeth whitening. However, consult your dentist first to ensure that you follow all instructions.
How to Whiten Teeth
There are many options available to you once you have decided to whiten your smile. There are many ways to get rid of stained teeth.
These are the details you need to make an informed decision about which option is best for you.
- Professional Whitening by a local Dentist. This involves the application of bleach directly to your teeth. To enhance the whitening, special lights may be combined with bleach. You may need one or more treatments depending on how dark your teeth are. These can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the level of staining.
- At Home Whitening: There are many options for whitening your teeth at home, including over-the-counter strips, gels, and emulsions that use peroxide-based chemicals. The initial results can be seen within a few days. Products last up to 12 months. These options are cheaper.
It can be difficult to know where to begin if you wish to whiten stained teeth. It can be overwhelming to consider all the options for whitening teeth.
It doesn’t matter what your decision is, it’s always a good idea for Rancho Cucamonga to discuss stained teeth with your dentist before you start a whitening regimen.