Do Teeth Yellow As You Age? Unfortunately, yes. Your teeth will discolor and turn dull while you’re getting older. However, you can minimize it by making sure you have an excellent oral dental care routine.
But why can’t our teeth be like the teeth of those celebrities and models even if they’re already old?
The reason for these people to have pearly white teeth is that they visit their dentist on a regular basis. They also undergo regular teeth whitening to avoid making their teeth look dull.
But having yellow teeth isn’t too surprising, even to those who brush and floss their teeth regularly.
Why Do Teeth Stay Yellow?
There are a number of different reasons you’re getting yellow teeth. Tooth discoloration is of two types: extrinsic and intrinsic.
Extrinsic stains are stains found on the enamel surface, which is the outermost layer of your tooth. Most extrinsic stains develop because of what you eat and drink. Coffee, colas, red wine, dark sauces, blueberries, grapes, and others can have the potential to stain to your teeth.
Those items contain pigment-producing substances that like to stick to your tooth enamel. They’re so sticky that it will be difficult for you to remove them through brushing and flossing alone.
Then, if you drink and eat acidic foods, it can worsen the stain and erode the enamel. As a result, the pigment-producing substances will go deep into your teeth.
Smoking, too, can cause extrinsic stains. And if you don’t have the habit of brushing and flossing every day, then don’t be surprised to see your teeth discoloring.
Intrinsic stain, on the other hand, can be the result of taking in numerous medications. This is especially true if you regularly take antibiotics. These drugs can alter the properties of your enamel causing it to discolor.
An anti-septic for gingivitis may also cause discoloration.
What to do to Avoid “Yellow Teeth?”
Make lifestyle changes. This is the best way to prevent tooth discoloration. By lifestyle changes, it means you have to avoid drinking coffee, soda, tea and other foods that can discolor your teeth.
It’s also ideal to use an electric toothbrush as it can clean your teeth more effectively than a regular toothbrush. And after brushing, make sure that you floss.
Sometimes, tooth discoloration may still arise even if you did your best to prevent it. If this is the case, your dentist will recommend teeth whitening procedures.
OTC whitening may help but you should use it with caution. This is especially true if your yellow teeth are the result of acid erosion. It will just worsen your problem.
To get better results, in-office teeth whitening is recommended. Call our office to find out about its pros and cons.
We may also suggest dental veneers as a teeth whitening solution if the other whitening solutions are no longer effective in your case. Veneers are known to correct, not just tooth discoloration, but also other dental issues.
No matter what the cause of your tooth discoloration is, Dr. Hildebrandt at Reflections Dental can help you find the right teeth whitening solutions.