Dentin, the hard inner surface of the tooth, contains a pulp that is yellowish in color. As enamel thins, the thicker interior will show through the more transparent, thin enamel surface. Yellow teeth can make you look even older than you are as well as give you an unhealthy appearance.
In most cases, yellow teeth are considered unattractive and, at times, can be mistaken for poor oral hygiene.
In a 2012 study, researchers learned that yellowed teeth downgraded a person's attractiveness. They believed this is because teeth are “ornaments” that can draw in potential suitors. When humans smile, we're like a colorful bird showing off its tail feathers.
Dark and stained teeth can make you appear older than you are or give away your age. This is because as we age, our teeth tend to become darker by the beverages and foods that we consume.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda
Using this mixture removes bacteria and buildup of plaque to get rid of surface stains. Create a hydrogen peroxide and baking soda paste and use it to brush your teeth. After that, use water to rinse the mouth. You can also create a mouthwash using equal amounts of each ingredient.
Simple lifestyle changes can help prevent teeth discoloration. For instance, cutting back or quitting habits like smoking and drinking coffee can minimize your chances of developing yellow teeth. Using a straw while drinking coffee/teas can also help discoloration. Practicing proper dental hygiene is also helpful.
Even with daily brushing, certain foods and drinks can cause stained teeth. For example, frequently drinking coffee, tea and wine can all lead to yellow teeth. In addition, even regular brushing cannot always combat yellow teeth caused by smoking cigarettes.
As the study revealed that white teeth not only increased your attractiveness by 20% but knock years off your perceived age. The study also looked at different situations and the effect white teeth can have on the outcome. When it came to first dates, the number one turn off was discoloured teeth and bad breath.
We can counteract the yellowing and darkening that naturally occurs with age through teeth whitening. With professional teeth whitening, we can achieve and maintain a bright white color in the teeth, which helps us to look younger. A brighter smile always looks younger and more vibrant than a yellow, aged smile.
A study has confirmed what we already know – that a white and evenly spaced set of teeth makes people seem more attractive. But it has also explained the reason. It is because teeth are the human equivalent of a peacock's tail – a sign of health and genetic quality designed to help choose a mate.
If left untreated, stained teeth can become more obvious over the years. Teeth also can start appearing more yellow as a natural part of the aging process. As you age, your tooth enamel can become thinner, allowing yellow dentin to show through.
Natural Enamel Thickness & Translucency
However, the underlying dentin layer has a slightly yellowish color. This yellowish hue shows through the enamel in almost everyone, but more so for those with naturally thinner or more translucent enamel. So your yellow teeth may be perfectly normal due to your genetics!
Your smile is like your calling card to the world. If you feel self-conscious about your smile, you might hide it from people. Yellow or stained teeth are among the most common reasons to feel self-conscious or embarrassed about your smile. The good news is that yellow or stained teeth are very fixable problems.
Bad oral hygiene, tobacco products, certain medications, certain foods and beverages, and the aging process can all cause discoloration or yellowing of teeth. If the yellow color is coming from plaque or tartar buildup, then it goes without saying that your teeth are not in great condition.
It is perfectly natural to have yellow teeth and this is not necessarily a sign of poor oral health. Even with a healthy lifestyle, factors outside of our control can affect the appearance of our teeth such as our genes and the thickness of our tooth enamel.
As you begin to age, your tooth enamel will start to wear away, revealing the dentin within the tooth. This dentin has a yellowish colour. Your teeth will also begin to create more dentin as you age, which also causes teeth to have a darker appearance.
A smile can also reveal a lot about someone's age. A younger-looking smile has a natural shine and a cleaner, white tone enamel. Healthy gums can also make a person appear more youthful.
Signs of ageing – your teeth
Their colour changes over time, losing brightness and luminosity, and becoming darker. Dental wear will shorten teeth, making them look 'stubby'. Years of food, nicotine and fluid stains can also stain teeth permanently.
Make your teeth look whiter – Darker shades like royal/navy blue, purple, and even black can make the color of your teeth appear whiter. Even so, be aware that colors like dark green and brown can look like food. What about white braces – Although this may be a color you were thinking of, you may want to stray away.
The Ideal Age to Whiten
Given that, most often, at age 14 the permanent teeth have erupted into the mouth; and given that the younger teeth are, the better they whiten, age 14 is now considered the most ideal age to whiten.
Underbite, open bite, overbite, and crooked teeth are all factors in the way the structure of your face is built and if corrected, will make your facial features appear to be more symmetrical. The structure of your cheeks and jaw can be strongly influenced by the position of teeth inside your head.
Can my teeth become white again after turning yellow? Yes, there are a number of ways that you can help whiten teeth again after they have yellowed, from changing toothpaste and mouthwash to dental hygiene appointments.
For about two to six weeks, you can use dentist-recommended whitening toothpaste and brush twice a day. You can use a certified whitening mouthwash which usually takes about three months to produce visible results. Whitening strips are the most compelling in-house treatments that last up to six months.
Coffee and tea are two of the most common causes of yellow teeth, but red and white wine are also to blame. Other culprits include dark and light sodas and sports drinks with artificial flavoring. Tetracycline antibiotics stain teeth when they're developing in the gums.