Yellow stained teeth
Are you concerned about yellow staining on your teeth? We can help.
Sometimes it can feel like nothing you try will lighten your teeth. It can be frustrating and take a toll on your self-image. Don’t worry – you’re not alone. Almost a quarter of all Kiwis feel self-conscious about their teeth, according to research by Glow Feed. Fortunately, yellow staining is often only cosmetic, so it’s not a significant health concern. Nonetheless, your teeth can reach three to five shades lighter in just two weeks with a professionally fitted teeth whitening kit from Kowhai Dental.
Why do teeth get stained?
There’s a range of different reasons your teeth may become stained.
Extrinsic staining is caused by outside factors like highly pigmented food or drinks. Plaque and tartar are very common causes of yellow staining, while coffee, wine and tobacco can contribute to further discolouration where plaque build-up is present.
Intrinsic staining happens within the tooth, when the dentine grows dark or yellow. This may result from excessive fluoride exposure or using certain antibiotics during pregnancy, or as a child below 8 years old.
Age-related staining is the combination of both extrinsic and intrinsic discoloration that occurs naturally over time. The food you eat and the natural thinning of dental enamel that comes with age can cause teeth to yellow.
How to treat stained teeth at home
There are all sorts of over-the-counter products available that promise to whiten your teeth. These include whitening toothpastes, mouthwashes, strips and even bleaching kits similar to those your dentist may provide.
Whitening toothpaste and strips from the supermarket may be somewhat effective in removing surface stains. However, in order to be safe for everyone to use, they can’t be very strong. So, most people won’t see remarkable or lasting improvements.
Teeth whitening trays from the internet are similar to those your dentist can provide, but your results are likely to vary. Because these trays are one-size fits all, they don’t conform to the shape of your teeth and whitening can be patchy or extend to your gums.
When you see a dentist for take-home teeth whitening kits, we’ll custom-fit your trays to ensure total coverage and even lightening.
To use a home whitening kit from your dentist, you’ll simply apply the provided whitening gel to your custom-fitted trays. Then, you’ll wear them for one to two hours, or overnight, depending on your dentist’s instructions.
With regular use, you can expect your teeth to lighten 3-5 shades over 2 weeks.
When to see a dentist
If you’re feeling self-conscious about your teeth, it’s never too soon to see a dentist. While light discolouration is nothing to worry about, your dentist can help to identify any possible issues and give you a plan to lighten your teeth.
That said, if you can see or feel yellow plaque or tartar on your teeth, it’s important to book in for a dental cleaning to prevent the development of gingivitis.
If you notice any sudden changes in tooth colour or find that only one tooth is discoloured, it’s a good idea to book a check-up. These could be signs of a cavity or injury to the tooth, in which case the sooner it can be treated, the better.
What to expect at the clinic
When you come to Kowhai Dental to seek help for yellow staining on your teeth, we’ll start with a simple check-up. It’s important for us to understand what may be causing the discolouration, as issues like cavities, injury or demineralisation will need to be treated before we can look into whitening.
In many cases, yellowing is caused by plaque build-up, so the first thing to try is a cleaning from one of our dental hygienists.
If there’s no active decay present, we can set you up with an at-home teeth whitening system. For this, we’ll need to take impressions of your top and bottom teeth. At this point, you’ll leave and return once the kit is ready for pick-up.
Using your impressions, we’ll make a model of your teeth. Then, we’ll vacuum form a piece of plastic over the model, ensuring the plastic moulds to every nook and cranny of your teeth. This way, the trays in your kit are tightly fitted to your mouth.
When you pick-up your teeth whitening system, your custom-fitted trays will be trimmed and smoothed for comfort. We’ll give you your trays as well as a number of syringes with prescribed whitening gel and specific instructions.
If you have fairly sensitive teeth, let us know and we can ensure your whitening gel includes a desensitising agent. This helps to keep your teeth feeling great through the whitening process.
From then on, it’s up to you to use your teeth whitening system regularly for about two weeks, or as prescribed by your dentist.
Got questions
-
Teeth are rarely white, and yellowing is a natural effect of age. On top of this, variables in enamel thickness and natural shade can cause your teeth to appear off-white regardless of age and dental health.
-
Your teeth don’t need to be perfectly white to be healthy. Some discoloration is perfectly normal, however, yellowing is commonly a sign of plaque buildup.
In the case of plaque or tartar, the teeth themselves may be healthy, however, it’s important to have build-up removed by your dentist as soon as possible.
Otherwise, a yellow hue may show through thinner dental enamel due to genetics or age.
-
Brushing removes surface dirt and bacteria from your teeth. It’s crucial to preventing the development of decay, but it can’t affect any stains that have penetrated the enamel of your teeth.
Chromogens in caffeinated drinks and red wine, or nicotine, can all settle into your enamel and require chemical lightening.
Meanwhile, discolouration due to cavities or injury will require dental action such as fillings, root canals or even extraction.
-
Absolutely. With a take-home teeth whitening kit from your dentist, you can achieve shades three to five times lighter than before. We’ll match your existing shade to a shade chart and give you a copy to take home and track your progress.
-
In short, you can’t. There are heaps of different natural products that some claim can whiten teeth. These range from acidic fruits to turmeric and charcoal.
In truth, most of these products use acid or abrasion to whiten teeth. These can help to remove surface dirt much like brushing, but they won’t truly make your teeth whiter. Instead, frequent exposure to acid or abrasion can actually wear down your enamel and cause the yellow dentine to be more visible.
-
The following foods can contribute to extrinsic staining, making your teeth more yellow:
— Coffee and tea, especially black
— Wine, especially red
— Brightly coloured drinks like soda
— Food colouring
— Heavily pigmented spices like turmeric.
While not food, smoking tobacco is also a common cause of staining and can have adverse effects on overall oral health.