Having yellow teeth can not only be embarrassing at times but also harm your self-esteem.

It might make you conscious of your teeth whenever you feel the urge to flash your smile. The first step in getting rid of this ugly yellow tinge is to determine the cause of it.

Yellow Teeth Causes

• Natural: Some individual’s teeth are naturally yellow in color. This is no defect as not all of us are lucky enough to have naturally white teeth. Here is the detailed reason for this natural yellow color. The outer most covering of the teeth (enamel) is white.However, the layer below this, which is the dentin, is naturally yellow. In some conditions, the outermost layer is not well mineralized causing it to become translucent. This makes the color of the dentin (yellow) more apparent and you can’t change this natural tooth color unless you use advanced whitening methods.

• Aging: You have to accept the fact that yellowing of teeth is also a natural aspect of aging. However careful you might have been in maintaining your oral hygiene, over a long period of time staining agents generally seep in to your teeth giving it a yellowish tinge. Also, the enamel wears down and the natural yellow color of the underlying layer (dentin) becomes visible.

• Oral hygiene: Poor Oral hygiene is a major cause of yellow teeth colour. You could say “yellow teeth can have various causes” but poor oral hygiene ALWAYS result in yellow teeth(along with a lot of other dental problems)

• Food Habits: The chromogenic (COLOUR IMPARTING) food and beverages we consume can be held responsible for a vast majority of tooth discolorations. Foods such as tea, coffee, soda and berries have colour imparting properties. Smoking and chewing tobacco causes stained teeth as well due to nicotine deposits on teeth.

Yellow Teeth Treatment:

Although we can try our best to control the yellowing of our teeth by simple methods, sometimes it’s just not possible and we have to look towards more advanced methods.

Simple Methods:

• Brush and Floss twice a day.
• Brushing after consuming color imparting agents like coffee, tea, soda etc
• Using Whitening toothpaste and chewing sugarless whitening gums.
• Using Whitening strips or paint on bleach.

Advanced Methods

• Using Dental Veneers.
• Using various tooth whitening methods especially the in-office tooth bleaching.

Brushing our teeth is an everyday activity for all of us. Yet, it is staggering that quite a majority of adults do not know the correct method to properly brush their teeth leading to oral concerns in the long run including

but not limited to Plaque, Calculus, Bleeding Gums, Halitosis(Bad breath), Gum diseases, Caries, Tooth discoloration.

It should be noted that most of these dental problems do not evoke any symptoms or pain until they have progressed to a relatively advanced stage. Infact, many people search on the search engines on “how to brush my dogs teeth” when they should rather be searching for “how to brush my teeth”

Use a pea amount

There have been various tooth brushing techniques suggested historically by dentists but the most accepted brushing technique is “The Bass Method”.

Here, I outline step by step the strategy for effectively brushing your teeth keeping dental problems at bay.

• -Always use a soft bristled tooth brush, hard bristles damage your gums leading to gingival
  recession.
• -Wet your toothbrush and take a pea amount of toothpaste.
position1
• -Hold the tooth brush tilted an angle of 45 degrees towards your gums. The upper teeth (Maxillary teeth) should be cleaned first. Begin at the frontal (visible) aspect of the most posterior (Back) teeth and clean the teeth 3 at a time.

position 2

• -Use short, back and forth motions with out exerting too much pressure. Concentrate on the part of tooth which is nearer to the gums (the neck of the tooth technically referred as Cervical 1/3 of tooth.) as improper cleaning of this part is most often responsible for gum diseases.
• -First clean the frontal (visible/outer) surface of teeth, then the chewing surfaceand lastly the inner surfaces. If you find the head of brush too large to maintain the 45 degree angle while cleaning the inner surface of teeth, use the brush vertically.

• -Now, Lift the brush and move anteriorly to the next 3 teeth and repeat the same process cleaning the outer, chewing and inner surfaces.
• -Continue along the arch till you reach the end of the arch and then shift to the lower teeth and clean them in a similar way.
position 3
• -Brush gently along the gum line of your tooth as this effectively dislodges any accumulated food debris (on which bacteria grows).
• -Brush your tongue too which keeps bad breath away.

1. Brush your teeth twice daily: Brush your teeth twice a day to avoid majority of the dental problems. Brushing incorrectly may reduce its effectiveness. It’s important to know HOW TO CORRECTLY BRUSH YOUR TEETH.

Healthy teeth and gums reflect a healthy personality. Poor Oral health damages our self-esteem besides the various other harmful effects it has. Here I have outlined the 10 Commandments which will go a long way in ensuring you have healthy teeth and gums.

2. Use a Dental Floss: Flossing cleans the areas which are harder for a toothbrush to reach. It removes the food debris and plaque accumulated between the teeth. Flossing twice daily is preferable. Do also read the importance of flossing

3. Use of Mouth Washes: Mouthwashes such as Listerine or Chlorohexidine possess effective antiseptic properties. They kill the bacterial plaque known to cause bad breath, tooth decay and gingivitis. Use a mouthwash AFTER BRUSHING as per its directions.

4. Eating right: Maintain a balanced diet but reduce the consumption of foods containing sugars or starch. Sugary Foods( Candies, gums) and Starchy foods(potato chips, snacks) play an important role in causing tooth decay.

5. Avoid in between eating habits: Snacking between meals makes the teeth prone to tooth decay. The bacterial action is greatest at acidic Ph. The Ph is most acidic immediately after meals and gradually reduces and comes to a normal level. Eating in between meals does not allow the acidic level to come down increasing bacterial action leading to caries.

6. Avoid Cola and Energy Drinks: Cola drinks contain acids such as phosphoric acid and citric acid which have damaging effect on teeth. Energy drinks contain organic acids in addition to the above which directly damage the tooth calcium. ENERGY DRINKS AND COMMERCIAL LEMONADE ARE 11 TIMES MORE HARMFUL TO TEETH THAN COLA DRINKS. If you must drink, don’t sip on them for a long time and do rinse your mouth after drinking

7. Quit Smoking: Smoking not only stains your teeth but also damages your gums by reducing the blood supply. It also causes smokers breath
8. Chewing Sugar free Gum: Chewing Sugar free gum prevents bad breath and fights tooth decay by washing away the plaque acid resulting in healthier teeth.

9. Regular visits to your Dentist: It is essential to visit your dentist once in 3-6 months to diagnose any oral concerns early. Most oral health problems do not produce any symptoms till they have progressed to a later stage.

10. Oral Piercings: Oral Piercings such as tongue or lip are a no-no for good oral health. Tongue piercings can lead to allergic reactions, infections, nervous damage to tongue and gum disease.

What is tooth whitening?

It is a process that lightens the color of teeth. The whitening process is most effective on mildly discolored teeth. Darker stains such as those caused by antibiotics, take longer to respond to treatment.

Tooth lightening is ideal for patients who have healthy , unrestored teeth (no fillings) and would like a brighter smile. Not recommended for people having sensitive teeth.
What causes tooth discoloration?

There are many causes. The most common factors are age, tobacco, coffee, or tea. Other types of stains can be caused by antibiotics, such as tetracycline; or too much fluoride.
What are most popular tooth whitening treatments available and how they work?

1. At home tooth bleaching kits

In a bleach based tooth whitener kit, you apply a tooth bleaching agent to a mouth tray then insert the tray into your mouth. Most of the trays are worn for an hour.

These products contain peroxide(s), which actually bleach the tooth enamel. These products typically rely on percent carbamide peroxide as the bleaching agent, carbamide peroxide comes in several different concentrations (10%, 16%, 22%).

Peroxide-containing whiteners typically come in a gel and are placed in a mouth guard. Usage regimens vary.

Some products are used for about twice a day for 2 weeks, and others are intended for overnight use for 1-2 weeks. We recommend this Arctic White Tooth Whitening Kit which is really effective and one of the best.

2. Tooth whitening strips

These are placed on the teeth and are usually removed after wearing for 30 minutes. These are one of the most effective and affordable treatment for the whitening of teeth.

The best whitening strips available are Crest White strips They are highly recommended! Read the customer’s reviews of Crest White strips here. They also have peroxides as their main ingredient.

3. Toothpastes

All toothpastes help remove surface stain through the action of mild abrasives. “Whitening” toothpastes have special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness.

Unlike bleaches, these products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth. If you wish to use whitening toothpaste, we recommend Colgate simply White Advanced whitening Toothpaste which is probably the best out there.

4. Laser tooth whitening

A rubber dam is placed over your teeth to protect the gums. A bleaching solution is placed on the teeth.

A light or laser that generates a small amount of heat is directed at the teeth. Oxygen from the solution enters the enamel and bleaches the colored substances. The color of the tooth is made lighter.

It is one of the powerful treatment for tooth whitening. The process takes approximately one hour. The teeth have the solution applied throughout the course of the appointment. The results are usually seen at the first appointment.

5. Aura Ear drops for teeth whitening
Auro Ear Drops, which is found in most drug stores, uses 6 ½% carbamide peroxide and can be really effective for whitening of the teeth.

Even though the percentage of carbamide peroxide is slightly lower than the 10% concentration normally used, it is still carbamide peroxide and works great to whiten teeth.
How effective are bleaching systems?

Teeth bleaching is effective in lightning most stains caused by age, tobacco, coffee, and tea. Based on clinical studies, 96 percent of patients with these kinds of stains experience some lightning effect.

Other types of stains, such as those produced by tetracycline use or fluorosis (too much fluoride), respond to bleaching less reliably. And one cosmetic dentist points out that bleaching systems are not fully predictable.

If you have a tooth-color filling when your teeth are bleached, the filling will stay yellow—dental restorations do not change color when tooth whitener is applied.

Are there any side effects?

Some people experience increased tooth sensitivity because of hydrogen peroxide, particularly at higher concentrations, and night guards often cause gum irritation. Patients have also experienced uncomfortable short-term side effects when having teeth bleached.

The general health risks of bleaching systems are minimal as far as your body is concerned.
The Bottom-Line: If you don’t have sensitive teeth and looking forward for a brighter smile, then definitely go for a tooth whitening treatment.