But don't worry. Over time, the enamel will harden and calcify, and as your child's remaining baby teeth fall out and are replaced, their smile will become a consistent white color.
Good news: this is normal. Permanent teeth have more dentin (the layer of the tooth underneath the outer enamel), which has a more yellowish color. They also have very large nerve canals when they erupt and the enamel is more naturally transparent.
Thankfully, yellow teeth aren't forever. Not only can your teeth be whitened, but you can also adopt habits that keep them looking good. Use this blog to learn about why teeth become yellow, how you can fix them, and what you can do to prevent future discoloration.
While a yellow hue near the gum line can be an early sign of tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental problems—it is usually an indication of dental plaque or tartar. Dental plaque develops due to bacteria in the mouth combined with food byproducts and proteins.
This is because the enamel, the protective layer outside your teeth, is white, but can be thinner for some people and even translucent. The layer directly under the enamel is light yellow. Therefore, it is perfectly natural to have a light yellow color on your teeth, and it is not caused by poor oral health.
Non-White or Yellow Teeth are Unhealthy
Teeth whitening treatments usually work by stripping or entering the outer enamel layer, which makes teeth weaker if done many times. So, more often than not, yellow teeth are actually stronger than pearly white ones–so long as they're cleaned regularly.
Myth: A yellow color means your teeth are unhealthy
As long as you follow a solid at-home cleaning regimen, have routine dental cleanings and exams, and have received a clean bill of health from your dentist, you don't need to worry about yellow teeth impacting your overall health.
The best thing to know about yellow teeth is that it doesn't signal a medical problem. Yellow teeth can be as healthy as white ones. Yellowing is not only a common side-effect of stains from food and beverages, but also a natural part of the aging process.
Regular ingestion of berries, coffee, red wine, and cola can all cause teeth staining. Sometimes, even prescription medications and fluoride can cause staining. Even if you brush your teeth daily, your teeth will likely stain over time if you regularly consume dark-colored substances.
The dentin or the second layer of the teeth can be anywhere from gray to yellow to off-white. Dentin is responsible for the color of the teeth as well. The combination of the dentin color and the enamel color is what can give teeth a white, slightly yellow, or grayish appearance.
It's common for adult teeth to appear yellow when they first erupt. Permanent teeth contain more dentin than baby teeth. Since dentin has a natural yellow appearance, your child's teeth may look yellow and unmatched if several of their permanent teeth come in at different times.
Their Permanent Teeth Are Starting to Erupt
Permanent teeth have more dentin (the second layer of the tooth below the enamel) and this has a yellowish color. Enamel is slightly translucent, so the color of the dentin may show through.
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.
Don't worry. This is normal. There are a few reasons that permanent teeth may look yellow. First, they have more dentin (the yellowish second layer of the tooth) compared to baby teeth.
You can remove your child's tooth discolouration by promoting good oral hygiene practices. This includes brushing and flossing their teeth at least two times a day, as well as avoiding food or drink that are sugary or acidic. You can also make a natural solution of lemon juice and baking soda.
Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with two teaspoons of water and brush your kid's teeth with it twice per week. Hydrogen peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach that helps to whiten stained teeth. For efficiency, you can mix it with baking soda and brush your kid's teeth with it twice a day for a week.
Brushing your teeth diligently helps remove harmful plaque and bacteria from your teeth but isn't effective whiten them.
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.
Reader's Digest quoted Adriana Manso, a clinical professor in UBC's faculty of dentistry, for an article about how whitening agents weaken teeth. He said “bleaching products contain hydrogen peroxide that diffuses through the enamel.
A light-yellow color indicates a strong healthy smile. The natural color of your dentin, the layer of tiny tubules that lies beneath your enamel and connects to the dental nerve in each tooth, is yellow.
A yellow smile can make your teeth appear dull, aged and even unhealthy. And, with some causes attacking your tooth enamel, you could also be opening up the floodgates to oral health problems in the future, such as dental carries (cavities) and even tooth loss.
You See Discoloration on Your Teeth
But sometimes variations in your tooth color can be very noticeable. Yellow teeth are a key indicator of discoloration. It's also a sign that it may be time to consider teeth whitening.
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.