One of the simplest ways to seem friendly and appealing is to grin widely. One of the easiest methods to get a Hollywood smile is to whiten your teeth. Without harming the enamel or gums, it can effectively eliminate discoloration and stains while bringing out the teeth’s natural color. Teeth start off a little yellow and gradually darken as a result of what we consume and drink. A Bethesda, MD dentist can help you whiten your teeth.
Why Do We Have Pale or Yellow Teeth?
The teeth’s natural shade is not white. In reality, light reflected and scattered off of teeth’s surfaces is what gives them their color. The enamel covers the tooth’s surface, while dentin is the colored substance found beneath. Your genes dictate how thick your enamel will be. Tooth discoloration might result from enamel that is too thin because it shows more dentin. Some of the causes of tooth discoloration or darkening are listed below.
- When drunk over an extended length of time, beverages, including wine, coffee, tea, and soda, can leave a noticeable mark.
- You can also thank your parents since tooth color is a hereditary trait.
- Tartar can develop on teeth due to plaque buildup, particularly on the inner surfaces that are difficult to brush. They are also capable of changing your teeth’s shade.
- An injury can also cause pale teeth, the consumption of antibiotics, or small fissures on the teeth.
- Both smoking and tobacco use can discolor teeth. In a nutshell, neither is great for your oral health.
- Teeth lose some of their luster as we age because enamel thins and dentin darkens.
Is there ever a time when getting your teeth whitened is not a good idea?
- Teeth whitening is not the answer if you have cavities or any other dental issues that alter the shade of your teeth. If you have cavities, for instance, you should get them addressed before anything else. The whitening solution could penetrate the decaying areas and reach the interior of your tooth if you do not treat it.
- When gums recede, they expose the tooth roots, which are inherently black and cannot be whitened, giving the impression of yellow teeth. Tooth sensitivity is a common side effect of teeth whitening treatments.
- Whitening will not whiten teeth that have recently had dental crowns or veneers placed as part of a cosmetic procedure. The ability of a crown or veneer to keep its artificial color and be unaffected by environmental factors is, in fact, one of its main functions.