We all desire to possess a set of teeth that are sparkly, bright, and immaculately white. But, unfortunately, we all experience discoloration of teeth at a certain point. In a layperson’s language, tooth yellowing is when the shade of our teeth changes. They either don’t look as bright as they should, or a yellow tint begins to envelop our enamel. There are three types of tooth discoloration:

1. Extrinsic tooth discoloration is where the outer layer of the enamel becomes yellow to external factors.
2. Intrinsic tooth discoloration is where the yellowing is a consequence of some internal factor
3. The last type of tooth discoloration is caused due to the natural process of aging. 

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of treatments for tooth discoloration, let us examine the numerous causes of tooth yellowing.

Causes of teeth yellowing or discoloration

• Consumption of certain foods and drinks like coffee, tea, sugar, red wine, and berries stain the teeth and result in extrinsic tooth yellowing. The prolonged and regular chewing of tobacco also fuels external teeth stains.
• Another widespread cause of tooth yellowing is a poor oral hygiene regimen. The absence of regular brushing, flossing, and mouthwash engineers a breeding ground for bacteria, thereby resulting in the formation of plaque and then tartar. 
• Certain medications like tetracycline and doxycycline have side effects that cause the teeth to become more yellow and discolored. Likewise, few treatments like chemotherapy and neck radiation may also result in tooth yellowing. 
• Few diseases can directly affect the dental enamel and the dentin underneath, leading to tooth discoloration. 
• Another crucial and prevalent cause of tooth discoloration is aging. In due course of time, the outer layer of a person’s enamel wears down, revealing the yellower dentin beneath. Likewise, genetics also play a role in making teeth appear more yellow or white.

Now that we have gauged the fundamentals of tooth discoloration let us analyze the available treatment options. 

Top 3 treatments for teeth discoloration or yellowing

1. An Appropriate Dental Hygiene: The first and simplest thing to attain whiter and brighter teeth is to brush, floss, and rinse regularly, two times a day. You must brush your teeth twice per day, floss correctly, and top everything off with a good mouth wash. 
2. Use Baking Soda: Baking soda is a multi-faceted ingredient that has benefits for teeth whitening. The mildly abrasive properties of baking soda can help in the removal of external teeth stains. Furthermore, as baking soda is an alkaline, it prevents the proliferation of bacteria in the mouth.
3. Discarding Specific foods: It is common knowledge that tea, coffee, red wine, soda, and dark berries are the antithesis of teeth whitening. But, you don’t have to avoid them altogether. All you need to do is limit their intake and avoid contact with teeth. Also, you should brush your teeth after 30 minutes of consuming such staining food items. You should also limit your sugar intake to prevent the build-up of bacteria.

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!