Dentist reveals the seven main reasons your teeth go yellow and how you can stop it happening

If your teeth aren’t looking in the best of shape, there could be several reasons as to why they’re yellowing, and it’s all coming from a dentist’s mouth.

We all know that brushing twice a day isn’t enough to protect our teeth.

From flossing to mouthwash, and even things like using straws to protect them from staining, being conscious every day is key.

However, what happens when you follow all of the advice, and your teeth are still not benefitting from bright whiteness?

The dentists at Mawson Dental Care have identified seven reasons why your teeth go yellow, and this information might help you to turn things around.

There are several things that can impact the color of your teeth (Getty Stock Images)

Aging

Sadly, time isn’t always so gentle to our bodies.

Not only do we grow old and get wrinkles, but our teeth suffer too.

As you get older, your natural layer of enamel on your teeth wears down to show the lower layer of dentin contained beneath, which is naturally pale yellow.

Smoking can discolor your teeth (Getty Stock Images)

Smoking

Smoking is a major risk to your teeth, and if you want to keep them pearly white, then giving up the nicotine is essential.

The nicotine, tar, and tobacco in cigarettes can stain your teeth, and it can even stain them brown…

Giving up the smokes can do a lot more for your teeth than you’d think.

Don't forget to brush (Getty Stock Images)

Bad oral hygiene

The experts all agree that if you don’t brush your teeth well enough, stains are going to form and stay in place.

Dentists say this causes 'extrinsic tooth staining', which is when your food and beverages stain the upper layer of the tooth.

Sadly, this is quite common.

Thankfully, the solution is easy- brush and floss daily.

It can happen due to a procedure (Getty Stock Images)

Dental procedures

Unfortunately, even trying to fix your teeth can make them yellow.

This is because certain materials used in dental procedures such as amalgam restorations can cause a 'grayish-black tint'.

It’s not ideal, but if you’ve had a procedure, it’s likely an important treatment.

What meds are you taking? (Getty Stock Images)

Medication

While this is something that is most common in young children under the age of eight due to their baby teeth, it’s not unheard of for it to happen to adults too.

Certain medicines can result in teeth looking more yellow, but it’s not permanent.

If you find that your medication has taken away your white teeth, there are a number of tooth-whitening procedures which can be done, as well as natural options.

'Oil pulling' is often seen on social media, which is when you swirl coconut oil around your mouth for an extended period of time.

Being sick could turn teeth yellow (Getty Stock Images)

Illness

Certain illnesses can make your dentin show, increasing the yellow visible on your teeth.

It's in your DNA (Getty Stock Images)

Genetics

Sadly, it can be inevitable that your teeth will turn yellow.

Depending on your gene pool, you might be born with thicker enamel on your teeth, which makes them look yellow.

While enamel is essential to have as it protects your teeth from wear and tear and damage, there isn’t much that you can do to whiten them- unless you opt for veneers, or composite bonding.