Having a beautiful smile is more than just having a beautiful smile. It sounds contradictory, but think about it; is it possible to have a beautiful smile if you have yellow or discolored teeth?
We all know the answer to that question. Therefore there is no doubt about the importance of having healthy teeth. Not just to have a beautiful smile, but for your overall health.There are plenty of products, techniques and technologies on the market that you can use for a healthy oral hygiene. Review Critic provides good reviews of different products to help you make an informed choice and decision about products that may work for you.
Nevertheless, before we even get to looking at different products that work, it is useful to know the types and causes of discolored teeth.
Types Of Tooth Discoloration
The teeth can become discolored due to stains on the surface or by changes inside the tooth itself. There are three main kinds of tooth discoloration:
- Intrinsic: Intrinsic tooth discolorations occur when the internal structure (dentin) of the tooth gets darker or yellow in color.
- Extrinsic: This kind of discoloration occurs when the outer layer of the tooth (enamel) changes color.
- Age-related: Age related-discoloration combines both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. It is natural for the dentin to become yellow as time progresses in life, while the enamel on the other side gets thinner.
What Causes Teeth Discoloration?
There are various causes of teeth discoloration, which are important to know so that you can play your part in preventing the risks of this happening to you.
According to research, these are some of the causes of teeth discoloration:
Intrinsic causes:
- Too much exposure to fluoride at a young age.
- Medical condition called dentinogenesis imperfecta, which causes amber, gray or purple color on your teeth.
- Physical injury on one or some of your permanent teeth and internal hemorrhaging can discolor the tooth.
- If your mother used tetracycline antibiotics after four months of pregnancy (or during the second half of pregnancy), you are likely to have discolored teeth. The same applies if you use similar antibiotics at the age of eight or younger.
Extrinsic causes:
- Tobacco: Smoking or chewing tobacco can cause your teeth to become stained.
- Genetics: Your genes may cause you to have less bright and thin enamel than others.
- Beverages: Drinking carbonated drinks, tea, coffee and wine can also change the color of your teeth.
- Foods: Some types of foods, such as citrus fruits and sweets can stain your teeth.
- Failing to look after your teeth properly, ie, not brushing, flossing or rinsing.
Other causes:
- Ageing and some types of diseases.
Take Care Of Your Teeth
As there are various causes of teeth problems, there are also various solutions or measures that you can take to try and prevent your teeth from losing their whiteness and brightness.
Making a few simple changes to the foods and drinks that you consume and how you look after your teeth can help you escape having the discoloration.
Prevention
Limit the consumption of foods and drinks that could stain your teeth. If possible, quitting these may even be the best option. However, if you really want to drink these beverages, using a straw can help as the beverage will not get to the front surfaces of your teeth when you drink.
Ensure that you brush your teeth regularly, floss and use an antibacterial mouthwash every day, and change your toothbrush every third month. Avoid exposure to too much fluoride. Lastly, make your visits to the dentist a habit every 6 months.
Treatment
Teeth whitening agents, veneers and bondings can be used to make your teeth more whiter and brighter. The discoloration can be removed by using a bleaching agent on the enamel of the tooth. This can be done either by a dentist or yourself at home. The types of bleaching include vital tooth bleaching and non-vital tooth bleaching techniques. Reading and doing research about these techniques to get an idea of what they involve could be useful.
Look after your teeth, and have a beautiful smile.
