Discolouring Teeth | 3 Conceivable Triggers Of Teeth Yellowing
Posted on: 26 August 2016
Sometimes your teeth turn yellow without your knowledge until it's too late. Yellowing usually happens gradually and is natural when you start to age, so you can easily miss it. The good news is that there's no serious health issue associated with yellowing, but it can still be demoralising for most people. Once you understand these triggers of teeth yellowing, you can take appropriate steps to prevent them on your own or by visiting your dentist regularly to clean your teeth.
Cigarette Smoking
Cigarettes contain nicotine, tar and other tobacco products that will stain and discolour your teeth over time. After a short while of smoking regularly, you will notice your teeth starting to turn yellow. If you don't rectify this situation quickly, you will notice brown stains starting to emerge on your teeth. Smoking can also cause tooth decay because these tobacco products can block the production of saliva, which is used to keep teeth clean. Cigarette smoking is not only bad for your teeth, but for your overall health. Your best option is to quit smoking as quickly as possible. You'll also want to visit your dentist for teeth cleanups to prevent long-term stains from settling on your teeth.
Medications
If you are taking certain medications like antibiotics, your teeth can darken over time. High blood pressure pills, diabetic pills, chemotherapy treatments and radiation can also cause yellow-stained teeth in people. If you notice your teeth turning yellow, you will need to discuss the problem with your dentist. The dental professional may recommend a visit to your regular medical practitioner to change the dosage to protect your teeth from yellowing too quickly. Your dentist will also recommend more frequent cleanup sessions to prevent the medicines from permanently yellowing your teeth. With regular dentist visits and tapering off medication dosage over time, your teeth should return to normal.
Heredities
If several members of your family suffer from yellowing teeth, then you may have inherited the problem. It is not the colour passed on between family members, but the viscosity of your teeth outer layers. Thinner teeth enamel make yellow layers more visible. This means that if you have a family history of thinner teeth enamel, then you are likely to have teeth that appear yellower than usual. Your dentist may recommend some treatments to help your teeth look healthier and less yellow.
If you notice your teeth starting to yellow over time, be sure to visit your dentist as soon as possible to prevent the problem from becoming permanent.
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