How to Get Rid of Yellow Teeth & Common Causes

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

Yellow TeethIf you have yellow teeth, chances are you want to get rid of them. Depending on how yellow they are, they can be distracting and even demoralizing to the person who has them. But can you get rid of yellow teeth naturally? Are there home remedies for yellow teeth? In this article, we will examine what causes yellow teeth and yellow teeth treatment or home remedies that may be able to curb the tide of yellowing teeth or even reverse it. This is your guide to yellow teeth and what can be done about them.

Common Causes of Yellow Teeth

Why are my teeth so yellow? It’s a question asked by many in front of their bathroom mirror. Causes of yellow teeth are often summed up with one or two external causes such as smoking, but the truth is there are a ton of reasons why your teeth may be yellowing.

1. Poor Oral Hygiene

Yellow teeth may be the result of bad oral hygiene. Not brushing or flossing well or enough can leave food particles to stain the teeth and tartar buildup, which can also cause yellowing.

2. Tobacco

Tobacco products like cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and chewing tobacco can stain tooth enamel, especially after prolonged use. Tobacco stains tend to be rather hard to treat and remove.

4. Fillings

This may surprise you, but certain tooth fillings can cause your teeth to turn yellow after a long period of time. Filling materials like amalgam (silver fillings) can leech into the teeth, causing them to darken.

5. Coffee and Tea

Coffee and tea are notorious for staining many things—and that includes teeth.

6. Red Wine

People who consume red wine on a regular basis may find their teeth stained over time.

7. Cola

The rise of dark-colored sodas has also seen a rise of stained teeth due to the ingredients involved.

8. Damage

Tooth damage like chipping, breaking, or cracking can lead to the discoloring of teeth. When damaged, the pulp in your tooth may end up bleeding. This can lead to decay of the pulp tissue or blood clots that can stain teeth.

9. Medications

While rare, there are certain medications that may have led to your teeth turning yellow. If you took the antibiotics tetracycline or doxycycline before the age of eight or your mother took them while pregnant, the drugs sometimes get incorporated into the mineral structure of the tooth, resulting in yellow teeth.

10. Fluoride

It may seem a little weird as fluoride is what we occasionally take to keep our teeth strong. However, excessive use of fluoride, especially when you are young, can lead to your teeth turning yellow.

These are just the common yellow teeth causes, and it can be a little disheartening to know that so many things can stain your teeth. Luckily, there are a number of home remedies that may be able to get rid of some of that yellow.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Yellow Teeth

For those people who have yellow teeth and want to do something about it, there are plenty of home remedies to get rid of yellow teeth. While some of these remedies are completely natural, others are a sort of chemical treatment, but all of them should be easily performed within your own bathroom.

1. Hydrogen Peroxide

Peroxide has mild bleaching capabilities that may help bring the white back to your teeth. Use a mouthwash with peroxide in it (make sure not to swallow) or you can make a bleaching paste with baking soda and brush your teeth with it.

2. Lemons

yellow teeth treatment home remediesDue to the acid found in lemons, lemons and lemon juice can help whiten teeth. Gargling with lemon juice can help whiten teeth as can scrubbing your teeth with a lemon peel can help take the yellow out of your teeth.

3. Baking Soda

Baking soda has often been used in toothpaste as a cleanser. You can mix baking soda with peroxide solutions, lemon juice, or white vinegar to create a whitening paste to brush your teeth with. Just be careful as the grit in baking soda can also damage your teeth if used in excess.

4. Strawberries

You might not consider strawberries as a tool to help whiten your teeth. After all, they can stain your fingers pretty well, so how would they whiten your teeth? Strawberries contain a fair amount of vitamin C, which can help break up plaque. They also carry malic acid, which might be able to help whiten teeth. The easiest way to use strawberries as a whitener is to take a few strawberries (three should do it) and mash them up, mix with a pinch of salt, and then use the concoction like a toothpaste. Brush your teeth gently with it. Once again, be careful as the grit from the salt can cause tooth damage if you brush with it too roughly.

These are some of the best and easiest home treatments you can try to help whiten your teeth. The best thing to remember is to follow these suggestions on a regular schedule—two or three times a week depending on how bad your problem may be. Once you are satisfied with the whiteness of your teeth, you can reduce that schedule. Also, keep in mind that these do not necessarily replace regular brushing.

Yellow Teeth, Begone!

Having yellow teeth can be socially awkward for some people, and all they may want to do is hide them. Dental visits are expensive as are whitening treatments. Luckily, there are a few inexpensive home remedies you can try before making that trip to the dentist’s office. As with anything like this, if you are unsure about using these home remedies, consult with your dentist.


Sources:
“Ten Causes Of Yellow Teeth And How To Avoid Them,” Colgate Oral Care Center, http://www.colgate.com/en/us/oc/oral-health/life-stages/adult-oral-care/article/ten-causes-of-yellow-teeth-and-how-to-avoid-them-0116, last accessed March 28, 2017.
“Home Remedies for Yellow Teeth,” Top 10 Home Remedies, http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-yellow-teeth.html, last accessed March 28, 2017.
“3 Natural Ways to Whiten Teeth at Home,” Everyday Roots, http://everydayroots.com/teeth-whitening-at-home, last accessed March 28, 2017.