You would be surprised to know poor oral hygiene is not the only reason for your teeth yellowing. Your diet practices and lifestyle have a significant part to play as well. Looking at yourself in the mirror and seeing your stained teeth can be disheartening. However, the good news is that they are not a sign of a severe health issue, and you can fix them with some lifestyle changes.
While there are various methods of teeth whitening Fort Lauderdale, the best way to avoid stains is by learning their causes. If you can understand what causes tooth discoloration, you can take steps to avoid those things or limit your exposure. Alternatively, you can also visit this cosmetic dentist in Tampa for whiter teeth.
Extrinsic tooth discoloration
Extrinsic tooth discoloration is caused by foods, beverages, and tobacco. In this, the stains only affect the surface of the tooth known as the tooth enamel and do not affect the deeper areas of the tooth. By avoiding certain types of foods, you can avoid tooth discoloration as well.
Some foods can move into the outer layer of your tooth and cause discoloration. Foods that are known to cause tooth discoloration are as follows.
- Tea
- Coffee
- Chocolate
- Soy sauce
- Tomato sauce
- Red wine
- Soda
- Blueberries
- Beets
- Grape or cranberry juice
Tobacco, if used in any form, be it cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or pipes, can stain your teeth. If you smoke, your teeth will continue to stain unless you quit.
Intrinsic tooth discoloration
Intrinsic tooth discoloration occurs because of an underlying condition or genetics. Unlike extrinsic stains, this stain is located within the tooth and appears grayish. As there is usually an underlying medical condition, this type of discoloration is often resistant to store-bought teeth whitening products.
Trauma from a fall, medications, tooth decay, or using too much fluoride on your teeth can cause such stains. You must consult your dentist about treatment if you have intrinsic tooth discoloration as they would not go away at home.
Age-related tooth discoloration
As you get old, your entire body changes. Your teeth are no exception. Yes, teeth can get yellowed because of old age as well. This happens because the surface layer of your teeth, the enamel, fades away due to everyday wear and tear. Time-related tooth discoloration can occur because of both extrinsic and intrinsic reasons.
How to get rid of tooth stains?
If you are worried about your yellowed teeth or if they are lowering your confidence in the public, worry not, as there are various effective treatments for teeth discoloration. You can buy at-home teeth whitening kits. If those do not work for you, you can get in-office treatments where your dentist uses a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide as compared to at-home kits. Some over-the-counter products, such as teeth whitening toothpaste and whitening strips, can be used for extrinsic stains.
Read more: 4 Common Dental Issues and What You Can Do About Them
