Are you embarrassed by your smile because of your yellow teeth? If so, you’re not alone.

Thousands of people have — or will have, at some point — yellow teeth.

Here are five of the most common causes of tooth discoloration and what you can do about them.

1. An Acid-Rich Diet

When we think about our diet, we often think about whether or not what we’re eating is healthy. While that’s certainly important, it’s also necessary to consider the effects of our diet on our teeth.

Certain foods, particularly ones rich in acid, tend to accelerate discoloration and weaken enamel over time. Here are some of the most common offenders.

Beverages

• Wine
• Coffee
• Soda
• Juice

Foods

• Carrots
• Beets
• Berries
• Citrus

As you can see, not all of these foods and drinks are unhealthy. Some, like fruits and vegetables, should even be a staple of your diet.

However, you’ll need to be extra vigilant about brushing after eating or drinking any of the above.

2. Tobacco Use

Each year, tobacco use is responsible for millions of deaths around the globe. Whether inhaled through a cigarette or chewed, tobacco is unhealthy for the entire body, and may even cause yellow teeth.

This is due to the tar and nicotine present in most tobacco-related products. These chemicals weaken your enamel, then sink to the lower levels of your tooth, causing hard to remove stains.

3. Lack of Brushing

Even if you somehow avoid tobacco and acid-rich foods, you’re not necessarily out of the woods.

There’s still no outrunning poor dental hygiene.

If you’re not brushing at least twice per day, you run the risk of accumulating plaque and tartar on your teeth. Once on your enamel, these pesky yellow bacteria are hard to get rid of.

Schedule a cleaning with your local dentist, and ask about special teeth-whitening toothpaste. Yellow teeth aren’t entirely reversible, but if you catch it soon enough, you stand a better chance of keeping a white smile.

4. Aging

Unfortunately, tooth discoloration is pretty much unavoidable. Even if you’re an avid brusher, your teeth may yellow and darken as you get older.

This is quite common, as reported by The New York Times.

As we get older, our enamel gradually weakens, revealing a softer, more vulnerable layer of dentin underneath.

Once exposed, dentin absorbs chemicals more easily than enamel, effectively staining your teeth faster.

5. Genetics

Finally, if you have yellowed teeth, it may not entirely be your fault. To some degree, genetics come into play.

When we think about inherited traits, we often think about hair or eye color. But did you know that you inherit your enamel strength, too?

If your parents or grandparents had discolored teeth, you may be more susceptible to tooth discoloration yourself.

Do You Have Yellow Teeth? Get Your Smile Back!

These five causes of yellowed teeth are all quite common. If you’re interested in getting your smile back, give us a call.

Serene Smiles is dedicated to making your or healthy easy and affordable. Get in touch today and ask how you can schedule a consultation.