Why Are My Teeth So Yellow?

Body image issues are a real problem in today’s world. Whether it is unnaturally skinny feminine bodies, illuminating blue eyes, beautiful hair or a radiant smile, people are bombarded by what they are meant to understand as images of perfection that they hold themselves up to. The problem is, while the models in the picture have all of the help of an entire staff and the wonders of Photoshop to help them look good, real life is quite different. Today we hope to settle the score on why some people have teeth that are more yellow than others.

Are yellow teeth always a problem?

Not necessarily. The question is always what is at the root of the problem, in other words why are the teeth yellow? Sometimes the answer is that they just are, that is just their colour. Other times, they can be the result of serious damage and can even be the precursor to some very serious problems indeed.

Enamel

Usually, the cause is that the enamel is missing or has become very thin. Cementum, the layer of harder bone that is underneath the enamel is a yellowish hue, and usually the yellowness comes from the fact that the Cementum is showing from underneath the whiter, pearlier tooth enamel. Sometimes, this can be due to a fever in childhood, and for an unlucky few, the enamel never fully develops. Certain antibiotics can also cause the enamel layer to come off. In these cases, yellowish teeth are just a fact of life, and do not represent any serious trouble, although they are not the most aesthetically pleasing sight.
However, if the teeth did have enamel and now are gone, then there is a problem. This means that something is eating away at your teeth, and has already gotten through the first layer! This could be some aggressive oral microbes, or it could be a number of other things, like corrosive stomach acid, too many acidic foods, alcohol, or any number of things. It can even be a sign of such systemic disease like diabetes, and is almost always accompanied by periodontitis.

Stains

The other, much less severe possible scenario is that your teeth are stained. Teeth become stained when they come into frequent contact with some kind of material that can dye them. There are many such things, the most prominent being:

-Tobacco and tobacco products (like chewing tobacco or snuff)
- Coffee
- Tea
- Red wine
- Berries

If you consume any of these things on a regular basis, you will eventually experience stains on your teeth. Do not try to clean your teeth more vigorously, as this will only cause damage. Instead, invest in a tooth whitening session, either at home, or one at a clinic (this is recommended), and get rid of the stains once or twice a year.