If you recently looked in the mirror and saw yellow teeth smiling back at you, you might not feel too happy about this. Not only do yellow teeth give off the impression of unhealthy teeth but also old teeth. So what caused your teeth to become yellow in the first place? There are several different causes of yellow teeth. Learn what caused your yellow teeth, how to prevent it from occurring, and what you can do to whiten your teeth. Kuzma Advanced Dentistry in Wilmington, NC is here to help you maintain a whiter smile with cosmetic dentistry treatments.
Causes of Yellow Teeth
There are many different potential causes of yellow teeth.
- Drinks/food – If you drink a lot of coffee, tea, wine or eat a lot of foods that stain, your teeth can look yellow over time due to stains.
- Tobacco use – Chewing or smoking tobacco can deeply stain your teeth.
- Poor oral hygiene – A lack of proper oral hygiene can result in plaque and food/drinks to build up on the teeth and stain.
- Disease – Diseases that affect the tooth’s enamel and dentin can cause discoloration. This includes chemotherapy and radiation that takes place on the neck and head.
- Medications – Tetracycline and doxycycline are antibiotics that can cause severe tooth discoloration. Antipsychotic drugs, high blood pressure drugs, and antihistamines can also cause discolored teeth.
- Environment – Excessive fluoride (from water) or excessive use can cause teeth to look discolored.
- Genetics – Some people have a different colored enamel or thicker enamel that may cause their teeth to look yellow.
- Aging – Aging causes the enamel to wear away which reveals the dentin’s natural yellow color more.
How to Prevent Yellow Teeth
If you don’t want a yellow smile, there are a few different ways to prevent this.
- Avoid smoking or using tobacco products
- Visit us every 6 months for a professional cleaning
- Avoid eating/drinking foods and drinks that stain
Yellow Teeth Treatments
If you have yellow teeth, we offer a few different treatments at our Wilmington, NC dental office to brighten your smile. To start, we can provide you with a professional teeth whitening treatment. Teeth whitening can remove years of staining in just an hour. Your teeth may whiten several shades in just one treatment.
If your yellow teeth don’t respond well to teeth whitening, we recommend opting for porcelain veneers or dental crowns to permanently whiten your teeth. Although this option is much more expensive, it doesn’t require touch up appointments to maintain your results.
Get rid of your yellow teeth with help from our Wilmington dentist at Kuzma Advanced Dentistry. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to brighten your smile!
