Why Do Teeth Turn Yellow?
Do you have teeth that are no longer a bright shade of white? If so, you may be wondering why this is happening to you and if there is anything that can be done about it. Here is the essential information you need to know about teeth stains.
Extrinsic Stains
The extrinsic stains on your teeth are what form on the outside and affect the enamel. These stains often come from repeated exposure from dark beverages and foods as you consume them regularly. This includes sodas, coffee, red wine, dark berries, and things of that nature.
Foods that are acidic in nature can be very bad for your teeth in terms of teeth stains. If the surface of the tooth is smooth, those foods and beverages that can stain your teeth are not going to stick to the surface of your teeth when you eat them. However, acidic foods wear away at the enamel on your teeth and can leave small parts where those foods can latch on. There are various lifestyle choices that can cause teeth staining. Things like smoking or chewing tobacco can make a big difference in discoloring your teeth.
Thankfully, extrinsic stains are fairly easy to correct. There are many whitening treatments that are going to get the stains off your teeth using peroxide.
Intrinsic Stains
Any stain that is on the inside of your teeth is known as an intrinsic stain, and it affects your dentin. These can happen in ways that you may not be able to control and are quite difficult to fix. For example, it is possible to get an intrinsic stain by suffering some sort of trauma to a tooth. Blood vessels can burst just like a bruise on your skin, but it happens inside your tooth.
Some people suffer from developmental issues that cause their teeth to not develop properly, and the teeth may be discolored from the moment that they come in. Thin enamel can also cause the yellow dentin to shine through the teeth easily since enamel is partially clear and enamel is naturally yellow.
There are several solutions to fix intrinsic stains. You can have a dental crown placed on top of a tooth so that the tooth is completely covered with an artificial surface. Another option is to use dental veneers, which puts a porcelain shell on the front surface of the tooth so that you don't see the natural color.
Contact a local dentist to learn more.