Help! My Teeth Are Yellow

Do you give presentations at work or spend time on video calls? Maybe you’ve noticed your teeth looking a bit yellow or dull in photos? A brilliant smile can boost your confidence and spur you to smile more, which generally improves interactions with others. 

At Preva Dental our highly qualified team, led by Dr. Prathima Rasamsetty, wants you to enjoy both excellent oral health and the confidence that comes with a fabulous smile that you’re proud to show off. 

One of the easiest ways to improve your smile is through professional teeth whitening. 

Causes of discoloration

If you think about the size of your teeth in relation to the rest of your body, they’re really small. But if you consider the anatomy of your teeth, you realize that there’s a lot of complexity packed in those small structures. 

Your teeth contain an intricate network of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues beneath the dentin and enamel, which are the two outermost layers of your teeth. 

Enamel is amazing. It’s the hardest surface in your body. Dentin is the inner tissue of your teeth, and it’s naturally yellow. It contains a series of microscopic tubes with a direct path to your nerves. The combination of enamel and dentin is what makes your teeth white, but it’s also where discoloration occurs. 

Brushing, flossing, and maintaining a stellar oral hygiene routine can’t prevent yellowing, staining, or discoloration. Extrinsic, intrinsic, and age-related changes can lead to discoloration. 

Extrinsic factors

External factors, like contact with heavily pigmented substances, can discolor your teeth. Some of the most common stain-causing culprits include: 

• Tea
• Coffee
• Red wine
• Fruits like blueberries
• Marinara sauce
• Tobacco use
• Certain medications

Intrinsic factors

Sometimes teeth look yellowish or grayish due to problems within the structure of the tooth itself. Some examples of things that can cause intrinsic discoloration include:

• A high fever between birth and the age of 10
• Certain medications like tetracyclines
• Too much fluoride
• Trauma to the pulp of your tooth
• Radiation or chemotherapy treatments

Age-related discoloration

As you age, the layer of enamel on your teeth begins to wear thin, which allows the dentin beneath to show through. Since dentin is yellowish, your teeth begin to look yellow. 

Fortunately, we offer teeth-whitening options that work regardless of the reason your teeth have lost their brightness. 

Professional teeth whitening

The first step to a brighter, whiter smile is an evaluation. We examine your teeth for damage, infection, or other problems that could interfere with teeth whitening. Often, our patients need some sort of treatment, such as a routine cleaning or even a root canal, before the whitening treatment. 

We also determine if professional whitening is the most effective method to get you a brilliant smile. Other procedures, such as veneers, could be the better approach. 

What to expect

If it turns out that in-office whitening treatments are the best choice for your situation, you only need one appointment to get amazing results. 

We first protect your gums and lips. Then, we apply a bleaching agent to your teeth. The last step involves using a special laser to speed up the action of the bleaching agent. The result is a gorgeous, sparkling smile. 

If you’d like to learn more about teeth whitening and find out if it may be right for you, schedule an appointment at Preva Dental today. We’re located in San Antonio, Texas.