Teeth lose their shine over time and can become discolored over the years due to various factors. Research has shown that it is mainly external factors that cause your teeth to discolour. Whitestrips-shop.nl provides the five most common causes of yellow teeth in this blog.
Genetics
Something you absolutely can’t change? Your genes. It is genetically determined whether we get yellow teeth over the years and how strongly they discolour. Underneath your enamel is a calcareous substance called dentin. The thickness of this substance will determine how yellow your teeth become. The thicker the layer of dentin on your teeth, the more yellow your teeth will become since dentin is yellow in color. So getting yellow teeth is partly in our genes.
Food and Beverages
One of the biggest causes of yellow teeth is eating and drinking. Drinks such as red wine, cola, coffee or colored drinks affect the enamel of your teeth. There are two ways the enamel is affected:
- Certain drinks leave a deposit on your teeth that eventually penetrates your enamel. Just think of coffee, tea, cola and red wine.
- Foods that contain acid cause erosion of the enamel. Erosion causes the enamel to become thinner and more transparent, making the dentin (yellow in color) more visible.
Tartar
After you eat, plaque forms on your teeth and when it calcifies it eventually becomes tartar. Dental plaque consists of bacteria, saliva and food residues. Brushing your teeth properly (min. 2x a day) ensures that no plaque remains on the teeth and so no tartar can form.
Medication
Medication can cause you to get stains on your teeth. For example, dark gray or brown stripes can appear on your teeth. But medication can of course also cause yellow teeth. Do you have to take certain medications for a long time? Check with your doctor to find out if this medication could have a negative effect on your teeth.
Smoking
Of course, smoking is also one of the biggest causes. The nicotine in cigarettes leaves a dark brown deposit on your teeth. This attack will settle deeper and deeper in your teeth and therefore discolour your teeth, which can cause them to turn yellow or even black. The longer you smoke, the more difficult it becomes to remove the deposit.
Do you want whiter teeth?
Do your teeth still look a bit yellow at the moment? Then be sure to read our 5 tips for whiter teeth that you can apply to have your teeth completely white again, just before the holidays start!