Yellow, orange, grey, black and brown – why teeth discolour and what you can do about it

When you were younger, your teeth were whiter than white. As you’ve aged, you’ve likely noticed that your teeth don’t look as white as they used to, but they still seem healthy. Now, though, you may be noticing tooth discolouration.

In fact, your teeth have rings of orange or yellow on them, or you see grey and brown tooth stains on the surface.

You don’t like this tooth discolouration, but you wonder how it happened in the first place. What causes teeth to discolour, and how can you treat it?

Below, we answer these questions so you can understand why your teeth don’t look white now and what you can do to whiten teeth and have a bright smile again.

What causes discoloured teeth?

No matter what colour your teeth are, the discolouration may have happened in a few different ways:

1. Age

You may be thinking “Why are my teeth yellow?” As previously mentioned, your teeth age as you get older. Over time, the tooth enamel, or protective coating, over your teeth wears down. Without that covering, the rest of your tooth is more susceptible to discolouring as it exposes the more porous nature of dentine. As you continue to age, your teeth will continue to turn yellow.

2. Food and Drink

You may love to start your morning with a hot cup of coffee, or perhaps you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. You may also frequently consume foods like oranges, berries or tomatoes.

But have you thought about what those foods and drinks do to your teeth? Beverages like citrus juice, coffee, wine and soda can strip the enamel off your teeth over time. Once that enamel is gone, the rest of your teeth can easily stain as you keep drinking these beverages. Foods like tomato sauces, berries and curries can also have a similar staining effect, over time causing that yellow discolouration on your teeth.

3. Smoking

Many medical studies have shown how bad smoking is for your general health. More still have shown that smoking and using other tobacco products has a negative effect on your smile.

In a short period of time, smoking or using tobacco causes your teeth to take on yellow, grey and eventually black stains. The longer you use tobacco or smoke, the darker the stains become. These stains result from the close and consistent exposure to the tar and nicotine in tobacco products. As you continue to smoke the gums will recede and expose the root surfaces of your teeth which have no enamel, are very porous to pigments and the discolouration becomes more obvious and build up with noxious tartar.

4. Poor Dental Care

When you were a child, your parents helped you brush your teeth, and they likely taught you good oral care habits. But as you’ve gotten older, you may have become a little lax in those routines. The less brushing and flossing you do, the more plaque will build up on and in between your teeth. Increasing the likelihood that you’ll stain your teeth.

As the plaque accumulates on your teeth, the more visible it becomes. It may even discolour as you consume staining foods and beverages. As a result, you may have yellow, orange or brown teeth. Not only can poor dental hygiene lead to tooth stains, but your teeth will also be susceptible to other conditions such as gum disease and tooth decay.

Ways you can treat discoloured teeth

Your teeth will always be susceptible to discolouration, but you don’t have to live with stained teeth. Instead, you can do a few things to brighten up your smile and prevent discoloured teeth.

1. Take Good Care of Your Teeth

If you don’t brush your teeth twice a day and floss regularly, start now. As you maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing, you can reduce and eliminate plaque build-up on your teeth. If you have less plaque on your teeth, you can better prevent discolouration. Start by making an appointment at Cambridge City Dental for a check-up and clean and get yourself back on track to a healthier smile.

2. Adjust Your Diet and Tobacco Use

While all foods and drinks are good in moderation, to whiten your smile you’ll need to limit your consumption of certain foods. If you do choose to drink coffee or wine, or eat berries or tomato sauces, simply rinse your mouth with water afterwards to prevent stained teeth. The water clears away the acids and food particles that cause staining, reducing your chances of discoloured teeth.

3. Visit Your Dentist for Professional Teeth Whitening

While at-home teeth whitening products such as teeth whitening toothpaste can reduce the amount of staining on your teeth, dentists have more reliable ways of whitening teeth. If your teeth are discoloured and you want a whiter, brighter smile, contact our dentists at Cambridge City Dental and schedule a teeth whitening treatment.

Looking to improve the look of your smile?

Our dentists offer a variety of restorative, general, and cosmetic dentistry services to help transform your smile. Call us today on to book a consultation.

Contact Cambridge City Dental today if you have discoloured teeth in Perth, Western Australia.