What to Know about Teeth Discoloration and Whitening Process

Almost everyone wants to have a complete set of pearly white teeth. Yellowish, pale white or off-white teeth can be unsightly in appearance. Since they look unflattering, those with discolored teeth often aren’t as confident in their smiles.

There’s more to a set of white teeth than meets the eye. After all, they don’t just look good. Clean, healthy teeth indicate good oral care and proper oral hygiene. Of course, we can’t neglect to mention that a beautiful set of pearly whites can do wonders for your confidence.

If you have discolored teeth and want to improve your smile, start by understanding the condition. In this article, we’ll go over the basics of teeth discoloration and discuss what you can do to lighten your pearly whites. Keep reading to learn more.

Reasons for Teeth Discoloration

There are plenty of reasons your teeth may be discolored and look dull or yellowish. Below are four things that contribute to teeth discoloration:

• Artificial Foods and Drinks: It’s common for children to have discolored teeth as a result of artificial juices, candies, or food containing food coloring. As for adults, teeth discoloration can result from excessive consumption of coffee, tea, wine, and flavored alcohol. These drinks have chromogens—concentrated color pigments. These pigments directly impact the teeth color from the inside as well as the outside.

• Improper Brushing or Poor Oral Care: Your tooth enamel has a softer and darker area called dentin. Forceful brushing and inappropriate oral care can cause your enamel layer to wear down over time, causing the dentin to reveal itself as the surface. Also, aging may cause enamel damage which can result in the yellow color of teeth.

• Medications: Some medications can cause tooth discoloration. When young children are prescribed antibiotics (tetracycline and doxycycline) for a long period of time, they often experience teeth discoloration later in life. Chemotherapy or head and neck radiation therapy can also lead to darkened teeth. The same is true for medicines with an abundant amount of active iron.

• Smoking and Other Factors: Tobacco, weed, betelnut, supari, gutka, and other products can severely damage oral health and affect the color of your teeth.

Teeth Whitening Process

Advancements in dental care have made it possible to whiten your teeth even after they have become discolored. There is a wide variety of gels, toothpaste, and whitening strips available for you to choose from. However, over-the-counter methods will not yield major results. If you’re looking to lighten your teeth several shades, below are two in-clinic treatments to consider:

• Vital Whitening Treatment: This treatment type is for teeth with live nerves. It isn’t used for root canals or dead gums. This process involves applying a hydrogen peroxide-rich gel to your teeth. The cleaning agent lightens the stains and cleans the pigmentation in one to four sessions.

• Non-Vital Whitening Treatment: This type is suited for teeth with root canal history or which have no live root. This entails penetrating the whitening agent inside the teeth and concealing the teeth with filling. The whitening agent is placed inside the layers since the discoloration is not from outside but from inside.

There are two things to consider when addressing problems with teeth discoloration. First off, it’s best to know what causes your teeth to become discolored. Consider all the factors mentioned above and avoid certain foods, drinks, and products that can cause discoloration. Second, undergoing a teeth whitening process is another viable option. You can either have vital whitening or non-vital whitening treatments. There’s a wide array of whitening treatments that you can choose from. Visit your dentist now and get the best possible whitening treatment for you!

If you’re looking for a local dentist to help you with your teeth whitening, get in touch with us today for a free consultation!