A smile expresses your emotions. However, if your teeth are yellow, stained, or otherwise discolored, you might feel self-conscious about showing your smile to the rest of the world. The color of your teeth may subtly shift over time but rest assured that it will. There is a possibility that there will be some yellow color. Especially as you get older, your teeth may take on a yellower appearance or become darker.
As the white enamel on the tooth’s surface wears away, the yellow dentin that lies beneath becomes more obvious. The second layer of calcified tissue that lies beneath the outermost layer of enamel is called dentin. There are a few options available to you aside from the traditional ways of bleaching your teeth if you are interested in doing so.
When you whiten your teeth at home, please exercise caution because you run the risk of hurting your teeth if the products are applied improperly or for too long. You run the risk of wearing away an excessive amount of your enamel, which puts you at increased risk for cavities and sensitivity.
What Is the Cause of Yellow Teeth?
There are a variety of reasons why teeth can become yellowed and lose their gleaming, pearly-white appearance. The enamel, which is the protective layer that covers your teeth, can become discolored when you eat certain foods. In addition, if plaque is allowed to build up on your teeth, it can make them appear yellow. The majority of the time, cleaning products and whitening agents are sufficient to eliminate this type of discoloration.
On the other hand, teeth can occasionally appear yellow due to the erosion of the hard enamel, which exposes the dentin layer underneath. Dentin is a naturally yellow, bony tissue that is located beneath the enamel and protects the pulp of the tooth.
1. Flossing and Brushing
Maintaining a high level of oral cleanliness is a tried-and-true strategy for improving the appearance of one’s smile. Toothpaste works by exfoliating the surface of your teeth to remove surface stains. Whitening toothpaste performs the same function as regular toothpaste, but they contain additional ingredients and do not bleach your teeth.
When you floss, you remove food particles and bacteria from between your teeth that might otherwise harden into plaque, which gives the appearance of dullness and darkness to your teeth.
2. Apply Baking Soda to Your Brushes
Because of its naturally occurring bleaching capabilities, baking soda is a frequently found component in store-bought brands of toothpaste. It’s a gentle abrasive that can help scrub away surface stains on teeth, so it’s great for brushing. In addition to this, baking soda creates an alkaline environment in your mouth, which inhibits the growth of bacteria and helps keep your mouth healthy.
Although this is not a remedy that will whiten your teeth overnight, you should observe a difference in the overall appearance of your teeth after using it regularly for some time. However, several studies have shown that using toothpaste that contains baking soda can improve dental health and may have a whitening effect.
However, brushing your teeth with baking soda on its own has not yet been scientifically proven to whiten your teeth. Toothpaste that does not contain baking soda is significantly less effective at reducing plaque, gum inflammation, and bleeding than toothpaste that does contain baking soda. Another study concluded that toothpaste containing baking soda may be more effective than other types of toothpaste at removing stains and brightening teeth. Make a paste by combining one teaspoon of baking soda (containing six grams) and two teaspoons of water (containing five milliliters), then brush your teeth with the mixture. You can perform this action several times each week.
3. Pulling Oil
The practice of “oil pulling,” which has its origins in India, is a time-honored treatment that is intended to enhance oral hygiene and eliminate toxins from the body. The process entails swishing oil around in your mouth to remove bacteria, which, if left unchecked, can develop into plaque and give your teeth a yellowish appearance. Coconut oil is a popular option because it has a flavor that is pleasing to the palate and it offers a variety of advantages to one’s health.
Additionally, lauric acid, which is known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, is found in high concentrations in coconut oil. Pulling one’s teeth through oil daily has been shown in a few studies to reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth, as well as plaque and gingivitis. Plaque and gingivitis are both conditions that are caused by bacteria found in the mouth, the most common of which is streptococcus mutans.
Rinsing the mouth with coconut oil daily was just as effective as using an antimicrobial mouthwash in reducing the amount of Streptococcus mutans after a period of two weeks. Unfortunately, there have been no studies that have shown that using oil to pull your teeth can whiten your teeth. Despite this, it’s a risk-free method that’s worth a shot. People who pull oil on their teeth regularly claim to see improvements in the brightness and whiteness of their teeth.
To perform an oil pull, place one tablespoon (15 ml) of coconut oil in your mouth and work the oil through your teeth by massaging it back and forth. Because coconut oil is solid when it is at room temperature, you might have to wait a few seconds for it to melt. Keep going for another 15–20 minutes with the oil pulling. If you want to prevent the coconut oil from turning into a solid and causing a clog in your drains, be sure to spit it into the toilet or a trash can instead of down the drain. Pulling your teeth through coconut oil, in contrast to many other methods of tooth whitening, does not subject your teeth to acid or other ingredients that can erode the enamel. This indicates that it is safe to do daily.
4. Utilize Hydrogen Peroxide
The bacteria in your mouth can be killed by using hydrogen peroxide, which is also a natural bleaching agent. Because of its ability to eliminate bacteria, hydrogen peroxide has been used for several years as a wound disinfectant by people all over the world. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide in most commercial whitening products is significantly higher than what you would use at home, but these products are still widely available.
Unfortunately, no studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of brushing or rinsing with hydrogen peroxide on its own; however, several studies have investigated commercial toothpaste that contains peroxide.
According to the findings of one study, toothpaste that contained a greater quantity of hydrogen peroxide was more effective at whitening teeth after a period of 12 weeks compared to toothpaste that contained a lesser quantity. Another study found that toothpaste containing hydrogen peroxide was more effective at reducing tooth discoloration caused by coffee than other types of toothpaste, including those containing charcoal and those that were abrasive.
On the other hand, there are some concerns regarding whether or not hydrogen peroxide is safe to use. Concentrations that have been greatly diluted may give the impression that they are safe, but excessive use of stronger solutions or concentrations can irritate the gums and make teeth more sensitive. There is also the possibility that extremely high doses could cause cancer, although this has not been demonstrated.
One application for hydrogen peroxide is as a mouthwash to be used immediately before brushing one’s teeth. To avoid any adverse effects, make sure you are working with a solution that is either 1.5% or 3%. A solution with a concentration of 3% hydrogen peroxide is the most common type that can be found in pharmacies. This concentration can be easily lowered to 1.5% by combining peroxide and water in equal parts in a mixing container.
Making toothpaste out of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide by combining the two ingredients is yet another application for the substance. Brush your teeth with a mixture that consists of 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of hydrogen peroxide combined with 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of baking soda and do so in a gentle manner. Because excessive use can wear away the enamel on your teeth, you should only use this homemade paste a few times per week at the most.
5. Consume Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is beneficial for both the body and the teeth. Crunchy, raw fruits and vegetables can help rub plaque away as you chew, although this does not make them a suitable replacement for brushing your teeth. It is said that eating fruits like strawberries and pineapple can help whiten your teeth. Two such fruits are strawberries.
6. Strawberries
A natural remedy that involves whitening your teeth with a mixture of baking soda and strawberries has recently gained popularity as a result of celebrities. Baking soda is said to buff away stains, while the malic acid found in strawberries is said to remove discoloration from your teeth. Proponents of this method claim that it will remove discoloration from your teeth. However, this treatment does not have a hundred percent scientific backing behind it.
Even though eating strawberries can help exfoliate your teeth and make them appear whiter, it is unlikely that the strawberries will remove any stains that are already on your teeth. The mixture of strawberry and baking soda produces very little color change in the teeth when compared to commercial whitening products. If you do choose to give this method a shot, you should only apply it a few times per week at the most.
Studies have shown that a paste made of strawberries and baking soda has a minimal effect on tooth enamel; however, excessive use of the paste could cause damage to the teeth. To make use of this treatment, mash up a fresh strawberry, add some baking soda to the pulp, and then brush your teeth with the resulting mixture.
7. Pineapple
Eating pineapple can help whiten your teeth. According to the findings of one study, a gel containing bromelain, an enzyme that can be found in pineapples, was more effective at removing tooth stains than a control group. On the other hand, there is no evidence to suggest that consuming pineapples has the same effect.
8. Prevent Tooth Stains from Developing
Even though getting older causes your teeth to be naturally yellow, certain things can help you avoid getting stains on your teeth.
9. Limit Stains-Producing Foods and Drinks
Coffee, red wine, soda, and dark berries are just some of the foods and beverages that are notorious for staining teeth. That does not mean that you have to stay away from them entirely, but you should try to keep the amount of time that these substances spend in contact with your teeth to a minimum. If it is at all possible, use a straw when consuming beverages that are known to stain teeth so that your teeth do not come into direct contact with the staining agent.
Additionally, Brush your teeth approximately sixty minutes after consuming any of these foods or beverages to lessen the impact that they have on the color of your teeth. In addition, stay away from cigarettes and tobacco chewing products because both of these activities can stain your teeth.
10. Reduce Your Sugar Consumption
Reduce the amount of sugar you consume to get your teeth looking whiter. A diet that is high in sugar encourages the growth of Streptococcus mutans, the primary species of bacteria that are responsible for plaque and gingivitis. Make sure to give your teeth a good brushing as soon as possible after eating something sweet.
11. Eat a Lot of Calcium-Rich Foods
The yellow dentin that lies beneath the enamel can sometimes be seen as a result of the enamel wearing away and exposing it. As a result, anything you can do to fortify the enamel on your teeth will assist in keeping your teeth in pristine condition. Consuming calcium-rich foods like milk, cheese, and broccoli may aid in the prevention of enamel erosion, which can cause tooth decay.
12. Apple Cider Vinegar
Whitening teeth with apple cider vinegar requires only a very small amount of the product. To prepare a mouthwash, combine 2 milliliters of apple cider vinegar with 6 fluid ounces of water in a mixing bowl. Stir the solution thoroughly for a quarter of an hour. After that, brush your teeth and rinse your mouth out with water.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that it has the capability of weakening the tooth’s hardness as well as the surface structure of the tooth. Therefore, it should be used with caution, and only for brief periods. To further explore the implications of these findings, additional research on humans is required.
What Dental Hygiene Errors Are Frequently Made?
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), some of the most common errors that people make when brushing their teeth include brushing their teeth with too much force, not brushing their teeth for a long enough period, brushing their teeth immediately after eating, and not replacing their toothbrush frequently enough.
Whitening your teeth at home is easy to do with any one of the many different methods available. Be careful, though, because you could end up damaging your enamel or gums, which could result in heightened tooth sensitivity or even cavities. The most effective method for whitening your teeth is to take preventative measures against the development of stains, maintain a high level of oral hygiene, and visit your dentist regularly for checkups. If you have tried these methods already, but they have not been successful for you, your dentist may be able to assist you in determining whether or not there is another treatment method that may be a more suitable alternative.