Cause and Treatment of Yellow Teeth Rifkin Raanan Beverly Hills Cosmetic Dentistry

It’s normal for people to want to look good at all times, but yellow teeth can ruin your look and smile. Discolored teeth can make people dislike you and even cause low self-esteem. People lose their confidence and become hesitant to flash a smile. Even if they do, they try to hide their teeth.

Causes of Yellowing

The tooth consists of a layer of yellow dentin which is covered by a layer of enamel which forms the outermost part of the tooth. The enamel gives the tooth its whitish appearance. However, in some people this enamel is thin and translucent, showing the dentin beneath and making them appear yellow. This is what causes naturally yellow teeth. However, there are many causes of yellow teeth apart from this.

Acidic foods like lemons, limes and tomatoes cause your teeth to yellow by deteriorating the enamel, making it more porous, thinner and showing more of the dentin below. Drinks like tea and wine cause tooth discoloration as they contain tannins, an organic substance that is used to manufacture dyes. Tannins is a yellow or grey color and will stick to your teeth and stain them, this is made worse when your enamel is more porous. Smoking deposits can also cause stains on the teeth along with poor oral hygiene.

Poor oral hygiene can also be solely responsible for the discoloration of your teeth. Taking good care of your teeth keeps them healthy and also shiny white. Neglecting your dental health leads to accumulation of plaque and tartar causing yellow teeth.

It is also a known fact that teeth become yellowish as you age. Over a period of time, gradually, food stains start to seep in and cause yellowing of the teeth. Also, aging can cause the enamel of teeth to wear down, further accentuating the yellowish tinge on the teeth.

Cure for Yellow Teeth

The first step to take in treating yellow teeth is to identify the causes the yellowing, if for instance it is as a result of your diet or improper dental hygiene. You can work towards correcting this as fast as you can.

Professional teeth cleaning can improve the appearance of your teeth by removing built up plaque and tartar as well as surface stains.

Professional teeth whitening is a good way to correct yellow teeth. Teeth whitening bleaches the enamel and makes them appear whiter.

Professional whitening works best on stains that reside on the surface of your tooth’s enamel. Bleaching cannot correct discoloration due to a weakened enamel, decay, and trauma. This is where porcelain veneers come in, they are able to fix severely discolored teeth along with many other dental problems.

Thin porcelain shells are bonded to the front of your teeth providing extra strength and an aesthetically pleasing look. Veneers are highly customizable and can come in a wide range of shades and colors to give you a perfect shade of white. The procedure is just as speedy as whitening, and only requires two visits to your cosmetic dentist. Your veneers will last far longer than any whitening treatment, averaging around a decade.

In addition to removing discoloration, porcelain veneers also act as a stain repellant. Unlike your natural teeth, veneers do not yellow over time. That means that the foods and beverages that are notorious for staining your teeth have no effect on porcelain veneers. Veneers are an investment that proves to be far less expensive than regular whitenings over time. They’ll improve your smile with a gorgeous and natural look that will last for years.