Why Do Teeth Yellow With Age and What Can I Do About it?

If your teeth seem a little less bright these days, you're not imagining it. Yellow or stained teeth are a common cosmetic complaint, and many people find that their teeth start to yellow a bit as the years pass. 

The good news is that our team at Dentistry in Paradise in Santa Barbara, California, offers a variety of treatments to help brighten your smile. But why does aging affect the color of your teeth? That’s just the question that Kevin Miller, DDS, answers here today. 

Two reasons your teeth yellow with age

There are two main reasons why your teeth may yellow as you age 一 thinning enamel and lifestyle factors 一 and many people might experience a combination of both of these factors. 

Natural wear-and-tear creates thinning enamel 

Your tooth consists of a few layers:

• Enamel, the (usually) white part you see, is responsible for protecting your tooth from damage
• Dentin, a yellowish layer between your enamel and tooth pulp, supports the structure of your enamel 
• Tooth pulp, the inner portion of your tooth, contains nerves and blood vessels

As you age, your tooth enamel may start to thin as a result of daily wear-and-tear. As the enamel wears down, you may start to see more of the dentin layer underneath. Because dentin is naturally yellow, your teeth may appear yellow.

Lifestyle and dietary factors

In addition to thinning enamel revealing dentin, there’s another cause of yellow teeth: lifestyle factors. This includes: 

• Consuming stain-causing foods and beverages, such as tomato, wine, berries, coffee, tea, sodas, and curry dishes
• Smoking
• Side effects of medications

As you age, you may start to take more medications to manage underlying health conditions. Certain medications, including some prescriptions that manage hypertension, can stain your teeth. 

What to do about yellow teeth

Good hygiene is a good defense against stains. Brush your teeth twice a day, and, when you eat a stain-inducing food, rinse your mouth as soon as possible afterward — or, better yet, brush. 

However, in some cases, there isn’t anything you can do about yellow teeth. For instance, you need to take your prescription medication, even if it stains your teeth. You also may not want to give up the health benefits of foods like berries, even if they stain your teeth.

The Dentistry in Paradise team offers a variety of treatments to brighten your teeth again. Depending on the type and severity of your stains, we may recommend:

• Professional teeth whitening to eliminate stains and brighten your enamel
• Veneers to hide even the most stubborn stains or discoloration caused by medications that don’t respond to teeth whitening treatments

Are you ready to add a little more dazzle to your smile? Schedule your cosmetic dentistry consultation with Dr. Miller at Dentistry in Paradise by calling us at 805-967-0272. You can also request a consultation online any time day or night.