Are your yellowy teeth making you feel blue? You’re not alone. Many people are bothered by dental staining, which is why teeth whitening solutions are so popular. Patients who seek out these treatments often aren’t just looking for improved cosmetics – they’re looking for confidence and peace of mind as well.
It’s absolutely worth it to learn more about achieving pearlescent teeth, but depending on what’s causing your pervasive blemishing, some treatments might be more effective than others in the long-term. Keep reading to dive into the details!
Dental Enamel: Tough but Absorbent
It’s easy to think of teeth as one hunk of calcium, but actually, they’re composed of many layers. Enamel is the outermost layer – when you touch your teeth, you’re actually touching their protective enamel barrier. While enamel is one of the toughest substances in the human body, it’s porous. That means essential nutrients can easily fortify your teeth, and that stains are inevitable, especially if your enamel is thin.
Not sure whether your dental shield is weakened? Your dentist can take a closer look and let you know for sure, but overly sensitive teeth are a common symptom.
Less-Than-Ideal Oral Hygiene
Throughout the day, foreign bacteria collects and builds on your teeth via food, drink, and plain ‘ol exposure to the elements. If you’re not brushing twice daily and flossing once per day, these cavity-causers will harden into discoloring plaque and tartar. Keeping up with your oral hygiene and visiting your dentist for a professional cleaning biannually can help mitigate this source of yellowing.
Enjoying Certain Snacks
Some foods and drinks stain more than others! If you’ve ever spilled grape juice on your clothes, you might be familiar with this concept. It affects your teeth in the same way; dark colored drinks like black sodas and teas, as well as strong pigmented ingredients like turmeric, are particularly problematic. Rinsing your mouth with warm water after each meal can prevent colorful snacks from lingering too long on your enamel.
Using Your Teeth As-Intended
You might have noticed that some of these causes are unavoidable. It’s true, regular wear, tear, and aging naturally leads to some dental discoloration. Over time, your enamel simply softens. The fluoride in many toothpastes and your dentist’s preventative fluoride treatments can give your enamel a boost by fortifying it, but it won’t remove lived-in tarnishing. For that, you may need something stronger, such as professional teeth whitening.
The Genetic Lottery
Unfortunately, genetics can also play a role in how tinted your teeth get – and it’s unfortunate because you can’t control genetics! Depending on how this factor affects your oral biology, you might need to rely on alternative cosmetic solutions, such as dental veneers, to conceal your smudges.
From teeth whitening to dental veneers to more preventative measures, your dentist has many tricks for dealing with stubborn stains. If you crave the satisfaction that can come from Hollywood-esq pearly whites, give them a call. They’ll examine your yellow hues and use their dental expertise to recommend a best-fit treatment plan.
About the Practice
Drs. Emily Allen and Brandon Jewell are ready, willing, and able to help you fight dental staining! They know that when you’re preoccupied with how your teeth look, mental health is often affected, and social situations can become taxing. You can be rest assured that providing quality, compassionate care is part of the Family Dental Associates of Spring Hill philosophy. To contact their office and beat the yellow teeth blues, call 615-302-1414.