Teeth discolorization is a common problem faced by several people. Having yellow or stained teeth freaks you out, ruins your beautiful smile, and shatters your confidence. Fortunately, teeth discolorization is not always a sign of dental problems. While natural teeth are not meant to be pearly white, your teeth can get darker or stained because of several reasons. Teeth discolorization can occur either on the surface of the teeth or inside. Here are a few causes behind teeth discolorization.
Poor Oral Hygiene
A poor oral hygiene can promote staining of teeth due to tooth decay. Inadequate brushing and flossing of teeth, causes the trapped food particles to react with the bacteria and form plaque. As the plaque buildup increases in your mouth, it leads to cavities and tooth decay, which eventually stains your teeth leaving you with a stained smile. Hence, it is best to maintain an oral care routine to avoid cavities and stained teeth.
Stain causing Food & Beverages
Several foods and beverages can cause stains on your teeth. Items like red wine, tomato sauce, dishes with a high amount of food color, coffee, tea, colas, etc can all stain your teeth. Moreover, sugary foods like desserts and junk can cause cavity buildups and promote teeth staining. Reducing the intake of such stain causing and sugary foods, and balancing it with a healthy diet can prevent teeth stains.
Tobacco
While tobacco is known to cause severe dental and other health issues, it also stains your teeth. Tobacco chewing or even smoking causes diseases like tooth decay, gum diseases, oral cancer, heart disease and more. Apart from affecting your health, high tobacco consumption leaves you with stained teeth and an unhealthy smile. It is best to rid yourself of tobacco to retain your natural teeth and the healthy white smile.
Aging
Your teeth can also start turning yellow, as a natural aging process. As you age, your strong, protective teeth enamel tends to fade due to continuous wear and tear. This reveals the natural yellow color of the dentin, resulting in teeth discolorization. Maintaining good oral hygiene throughout life can reduce teeth staining due to aging.
Health Conditions
Several diseases affect the protective teeth enamel and dentin and lead to staining of teeth. Dry mouth, tooth decay, gum diseases, and more can cause the enamel to weaken and gradually promote teeth discoloration. Additionally, treatments for diseases like cancer that involve radiation also affect your teeth enamel and causes discolored teeth. Trauma like accidents that break or crack your teeth can affect the tooth nerve and stain your teeth. You must consult a dentist for solutions to prevent and treat such stains.
Exposure to Certain Medication
Excessive exposure to antibiotics tetracycline, doxycycline, and fluoride in your childhood, can result in discolored teeth. As you age, consumption of antihistamines, drugs for high blood pressure and antipsychotic medications can also cause teeth staining. Certain mouth rinses containing chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride can also stain your teeth. Make sure to consult a dentist on tips to prevent stains from such medication intake.
Any of these reasons can be a cause for your teeth discolorization. While teeth discolorization is a common problem, it can also be easily prevented and treated. Consulting a dentist to examine your teeth discolorization, can provide you with the best solution for treating and preventing further stains.
