Many of our daily habits conspire to turn our teeth from white to yellow. The foods we eat, beverages we drink, age, and smoking all cause yellowing over time. The good news is that it’s possible to go from yellow to white teeth and, depending on the method you choose, it can be done quickly or gradually.
Strategies for Dealing with Yellow Teeth
There are many ways to slow or reverse the yellowing of teeth, some natural and some performed at the dental office. First, let’s talk a little more about why your teeth turn yellow in the first place.
- The enamel, or outer layer of your teeth, protects the deeper tooth structure. It is typically colored almost pure white. The layer of tissue below the enamel, called dentin, is a yellow-brown color. As your tooth enamel thins, you appear to have more yellow teeth.
- Coffee, red wine, tobacco products, and some medications can stain your teeth, as can certain foods. Some foods also wear down the enamel.
- Excessive fluoride, especially in children.
Poor at-home oral hygiene can also cause yellow teeth, but even if you’re a diligent brusher, flosser, and rinser, you can develop the discolored teeth that come with aging.
So, what can you do? Here are the top solutions.
Dental Remedies for Yellow Teeth
A “bleaching” procedure done by a dental professional is safe, quick, affordable, and the most proven method for whitening teeth. It takes about one or two days to have your custom bleach splints made and then, using a special bleaching agent, you wear the device for 3-4 hours a day. Complete whitening should occur with one to two weeks. After that, you only need to do occasional treatments to keep your teeth white.
Another option is making sure to visit the dental hygienist every six months for deep cleaning to remove tartar build-up. The polishing is done at the end of the procedure often makes your teeth appear brighter. More drastic results, though, require the bleaching process.
A word about at-home whitening kits that include strips, gels, and trays. They can be effective, but they can also contain harsher chemicals that cause harm to the gums and teeth.
