Mathilde Lacombe

Have yellow teeth? Have difficulty wholeheartedly laughing? Feeling conscious about showing your teeth? Worry not! Some things can be done to rectify that situation.

This article looks at the major causes of tooth discolouration or yellowing of teeth and the dental remedies for teeth whitening. It is always best to take the services of your local dentist. For example, if you are from Brisbane, you could visit a top dental clinic that carries out Teeth Whitening in Brisbane.

Causes of tooth discolouration

• Diet

Foods high in certain compounds called tannins cause the yellowing of teeth. Red wine, coffee, tea, etc., are examples of such food. These compounds get into the teeth enamel and, in turn, cause discolouration in the long term. Regular brushing of teeth can counter this effect to some level.

• Smoking

One of the major causes of tooth discolouration in smokers is staining their teeth from cigarette smoke. The stains caused by smoking are tough to remove and require twice-daily brushing, daily flossing and right teeth-whitening products.

• Poor oral hygiene

Yellowing of teeth can occur due to low or zero maintenance. Not brushing twice daily, improper brushing of teeth, not cleaning the mouth after a meal, etc., are examples of poor hygiene. Age can also be a factor.

• Illness

Certain medical illnesses and medications can result in yellowing of teeth, e.g. chemotherapy for head or neck cancers, high blood pressure medications.

• Fluoride

An excessive amount of fluoride present in teeth is also a cause of tooth discolouration. This is mostly seen in children.

Dental remedies

The following are four dental remedies that help in reducing teeth discolouration and in whitening teeth. These are professional teeth whitening methods that most dentists would offer. The price usually varies depending upon the place, hospital, type of insurance holder, etc. Of course, a Brisbanian will have to check up on the cost of Teeth Whitening in Brisbane with their insurance provider and hospital to know the exact prices.

1. Whitening toothpaste

Dentists prescribe whitening toothpaste different from ordinary standard toothpaste containing certain harsh chemicals to remove the tough stains and discolouration. Although whitening toothpaste does not contain bleach, it has certain other chemicals like carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide, which helps in lightening the tooth’s colour.

These toothpaste types generally help reduce the yellowing of the teeth and improve whiteness; they typically lighten the teeth’s colour by one or two shades after regular usage for some time.

Another new addition in this area is toothpaste containing activated charcoal which has been found to have teeth whitening properties. Research has found that they remove the external staining of the teeth.

2. Tray-based tooth whiteners

This is a professional tooth whitening method in which a bleaching agent is applied over the teeth via a fitted tray. The tray is typically worn for 2 to 4 hours a day or overnight. These kinds of tooth whiteners can whiten the teeth by a shade or two. Although a dentist usually does this, tray-based tooth whiteners are also available over the counter. The Australian law states that at-home treatments may only contain up to 6% hydrogen peroxide and 18% carbamide peroxide; anything above these quantities must be done at a dental clinic.

3. Whitening strips

Whitening strips are usually an over-the-counter dentist recommended method of tooth whitening wherein a thin layer of peroxide gel is placed on plastic strips and shaped to fit onto the surface of the teeth. They are mostly instructed to be applied two times a day for half an hour.

It is said that whitening strips can lighten the shade of teeth by one or two shades.

4. Whitening rinses

Whitening mouth rinses contain oxygen sources like hydrogen peroxide, which helps in removing stains and discolouration. They react with the compounds which stain the teeth, thereby helping to lift them. Whitening rinses are to be used twice a day for 1 minute at a time regularly for at least three months to see an improvement of one or two shades.

Author bio: Steffy Alen is a copywriter and content strategist. She helps businesses stop playing around with content marketing and start seeing the tangible ROI. She loves writing as much as she loves the cake.