A bright smile is not only a mirror of aesthetics but also a reflection of the entire health. In the desire to have a sparkly Hollywood smile, many forget that it is essential for the teeth to be snow-white and functional.
Suppose you are already paying a lot of attention to the appearance of your smile. In that case, it is good to know that discoloration can indicate some oral issues. Some factors that cause teeth to get darker, such as aging, genetics, and disease, cannot be entirely stopped. You just have to do anything you can to make the color change minimal.
But the more common reasons why teeth lose their whiteness are external. The intake of some foods and not too healthy habits are also the causes of discoloration. These are things you can and should change to keep your teeth healthy and form a lovely set of whites that enchants everyone.
Food to Avoid
Enamel staining can also occur due to the foods and drinks that you consume every day. Color changes won’t happen overnight but only after the prolonged use of ingredients containing coloring substances. The list of common foods that cause teeth staining includes sugar, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, curry, berries, pickles, and refined snacks.
Some studies show that egg yolk can make the enamel yellow, but there’s still not enough evidence. In most cases, you know that these ingredients can be harmful to your smile, but you don’t realize it until your smile start to look dingy.
Some people can have tooth discoloration after eating certain foods because it takes some time to break down inside your mouth. When the enamel becomes damaged, the teeth’ minerals begin to dissolve. It makes the tooth particularly sensitive and susceptible to stains.
Discoloration happens when food scraps sit in the place of damaged enamel. The longer these particles stay there, the more chances of having tooth issues arise. Refined foods with added sugar can be particularly problematic.
How to Fight Food Stains
The first step to keep your smile healthy and shiny is always prevention. One way you can stop discoloration is by not taking too much food before bedtime. Another is by using a toothpaste that contains less fluoride and more hydrogen peroxide. Occasional use of baking soda will also do.
Sometimes it takes as little as six months for the enamel to re-grow enough to make any difference. The longer this process takes, the more food residues will enter those tiny gaps on the tooth.
Enamel protects the tooth’s body from damage, so try to reinforce it with minerals (food and oral care products with fluoride). If neglected, that condition won’t cause only stains but serious issues like gingivitis or periodontitis.
Colored Drinks Are No-No
If you’re a coffee-lover, you won’t be happy to find out this – a hug in a mug is one of the leading reasons for the appearance of yellowish-brown stains of teeth. The list of colored drinks is supplemented by teas, soda, red and white wine (because of tanine), and sweet liqueurs.
Finding out that your favorite drink was causing you to have these problems can be disappointing. But the harsh truth is that the acids and pigments from coffee and tea can ‘tuck into’ the small gaps on the enamel and stay there long enough to turn your set of whities into brownies.
As seen on https://www.trysnow.com/blogs/news/soda-stains-on-teeth-how-they-form-and-how-to-remove, carbonated drinks are full of sugar, which is often the reason for the appearance of stains. Drinks of bright or even fluorescent colors contain large amounts of artificial matters causing yellow or gray stains.
Can Whitening Help?
If you’re like most people, you probably try to figure out how to remove those ugly stains. Teeth whitening treatments won’t solve your problem if you continue as before. Limited intake of colored drinks is a must to keep the natural whiteness of your teeth.
Teeth whitening can improve the appearance of your smile in the short term. But if you keep taking colored drinks, you will need a new treatment very soon. That’s wasting of money and a sure path to more complicated dental issues. If you need a professional opinion on taking care of whitened teeth, visit this dentist in Port hueneme.
Smoking Ruins Your Smile
Tobacco damages both the mouth and the teeth because it contains several dozen carcinogenic particles. Not only is tobacco a culprit in causing plaque and tooth decay, but it can also make a lot of stains to your teeth.
Nicotine makes the enamel less likely to protect you from cavities in the future. Smoking causes the accumulation of dental plaque in the mouth. The result is a faster occurrence of stains and decay.
Medications ‘Awake’ Pigments
Antibiotics such as Amoxicillin also tend to affect the appearance of yellowish shades, especially between teeth and near the gums. They most often affect external discoloration, which can be easily solved with whitening treatments.
Certain drugs, such as fluoride and tetracycline (very potent antibiotics), are implemented in the dentin (the building block of teeth) and change the tooth color inside. That refers to the permanent discoloration in the structure of the teeth.
Suppose you’re a heavy smoker or have a long-lasting therapy with drugs that contain chemicals that can color the enamel. The chances for staining are high unless you discuss prevention with your dentist. You can quit smoking, but it’s not always easy to stop the therapy.
Poor Oral Habits
While there are many factors behind the staining of teeth, the leading cause is poor dental hygiene. To fight this, you need to follow a regular oral care routine. First of all, you need to remove the food particles that have lodged between teeth and gums.
To do this, you can use toothpaste with xylitol or simply cleaning your teeth and gums with a soft toothbrush. Once you’ve eliminated food residues from the enamel, you should then floss regularly. That will remove any food remnants that might be left behind.
Besides regular dental hygiene, you should implement some general habits in your routine, such as water intake. You may know that water is essential for general health, but you should know it’s also vital for your dental care.
Water washes away dirt from your teeth, keeps your lips moist, freshens your breath, and lowers the pH in your oral cavity. It reduces the possibility of bacteria, which prefer an acidic environment. Water boosts the production of saliva, thus avoiding dry mouth and gums.
Prevention Is the Key
When you’re not sure how to keep proper oral hygiene, you should consider using professional dental treatments. These will help you with stains, plaque, and other problems that discoloration caused. Seeing a dentist at least twice a year will help you gain a good habit of proper dental care.
In case of severe discoloration, dental experts will suggest professional bleaching treatments. These will cost you more money, but they will provide results that last. Still, if you don’t think you can afford it, you may want to try some home remedies or over-the-counter teeth bleaching products first.
These products are widely available at your local drug store and online. Different types of at-home teeth whitening kits are available. They tend to work better on milder cases of tooth discoloration. Whitening kits won’t be helpful if the change in teeth’ color results from antibiotic intake, for example. But for food or nicotine stains, these will do.
Many people who suffer from this condition choose to brush and floss and never pay attention to the actual causes of teeth discoloration. Understanding the root of the problem is of vital importance. You must know what is going on in your body and which lifestyle choices you should make. By taking the time to research the causes of teeth discoloration, you can ensure that you’re doing everything in your power to improve your overall health.
