Why Teeth Darken? What Are the Best Teeth Whitening Options?
Staining of teeth is a common problem. Although not a severe condition, it nonetheless affects the way you look and feel. Sparkling white teeth make you feel more confident and improve your professional and social life.
Stained teeth, on the other hand, can dramatically affect your confidence.
However, do not fret. There are many ways to improve the looks of your teeth without spending a fortune. But first, let’s understand the reason why teeth stain and darken.
Why Do Your Teeth Darken?
There are many reasons why healthy, white teeth get stained over the years. One of the foremost reasons is lifestyle choices such as smoking or drinking cola, coffee or red wine excessively over a prolonged time.
Other reasons include excessive use of fluoride. Fluoride is good for maintaining healthy teeth but using too much fluoride can cause yellowish or brownish spots, which are referred to as fluorosis.
Certain antibiotics or medicines used for cardiac conditions and also antihistamines can cause teeth stains as a side-effect.
Enamel, the material that protects your teeth and also gives them their natural whiteness is another factor. Over time, the layer of enamel begins to thin out thereby exposing the underlying layer which is yellowish-brown in colour.
Moreover, the natural aging process makes your teeth brittle and they develop tiny cracks. Staining materials accumulate in these cracks, thereby imparting a yellowish tinge to your teeth.
Genes are another factor that affects the colour of your teeth. Some people are just lucky enough to have a naturally thick coat of enamel that keeps their teeth pearly white. Some others are not so lucky and are born with thinner enamel layers, which make your teeth appear yellowish in colour.
The good news is that you can reduce the staining to a great extent with some common dental treatments. Here are two wonderful teeth whitening options.
Whitening Strips
Whitening strips are widely available and a good option to bring back the sparkle in your teeth within the privacy of your home. These are thin strips of polyethylene with a coating of hydrogen peroxide.
Simply apply a whitening strip over your teeth and keep it there for at least thirty minutes. At the end of the procedure, your teeth look visibly whiter.
However, whitening strips are more of a one-size-fits-all approach so the results may not be up to your expectations.
