What causes yellow teeth? What to do? Tips on how to whiten teeth

In life, we often encounter situations such as yellowing teeth, which causes many patients to be afraid to show their teeth when smiling and have an inferiority complex when talking to others. The editor of Encyclopedia Knowledge Network gives you some tips to help you whiten your teeth easily.

Causes of yellow teeth

There are many reasons for yellow teeth, the main ones being exogenous staining and endogenous staining. Exogenous staining is caused by the presence of a variety of bacteria on the surface of teeth, which secrete a lot of sticky substances. Tea stains, cigarette stains in daily diet, and certain minerals in drinking water are adsorbed on these sticky substances, gradually turning teeth yellow or black. Endogenous staining is formed during tooth development. For example, if tetracycline is deposited in the dentin, it will turn teeth yellow, brown, or dark gray, which is called tetracycline teeth. If there is too much fluoride in drinking water, it may also cause fluorosis, with white chalk-colored or brown patches on the tooth surface. If the dental nerve is necrotic and combined with bacterial decomposition products, the teeth may also turn black.

What to do if teeth are yellow?

1. Drink green tea regularly

Green tea is unfermented tea, so it retains more natural substances of fresh leaves. It contains more nutrients such as tea polyphenols, catechins, chlorophyll, caffeine, amino acids, vitamins, etc. Green tea contains a large amount of fluoride, which combines with the apatite in teeth, has acid-resistant and anti-caries effects. The catechins in green tea can reduce the Streptococcus mutans that causes tooth decay in the mouth, and can also remove bad breath.

2. Keep your toothbrush dry

Although it is very desirable to keep your teeth white, no one wants to be so nervous about it. But there is one thing you can do, which is not to wet your toothbrush before applying the tooth powder. If the toothbrush contacts the tooth powder while wet, the powder will be diluted, resulting in a poor whitening effect. Using a dry toothbrush with tooth powder can help whiten your teeth, even if you do not change your brushing method.

3. Homemade whitening toothpaste

First, use half a spoon of baking soda and salt, add a drop of peppermint essential oil or olive oil, stir well to make a natural whitening toothpaste. Brush your teeth with it once a week, otherwise it will easily damage the tooth enamel.

4. Hold the toothbrush like a pencil

Does your toothbrush look like it's been used to clean a car? If so, you may be brushing too hard. Contrary to what medical professionals who are used to "joy scrubbing," brushing vigorously isn't the best way to remove plaque. The best method is to hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and move it gently in circular motions, rather than back and forth. Hold the toothbrush like a pencil so you don't brush too hard.

5. Wait for a while after meals before brushing your teeth

Brushing your teeth right after a meal can quickly clean the residual food and plaque in your teeth, but brushing your teeth right after a meal can increase the symptoms of tooth sensitivity. The surface of your teeth contains a layer of enamel, which becomes soft right after eating, especially after eating acidic foods. Brushing your teeth at this time will only gradually thin the enamel, and over time, your teeth will become sore and swollen.

6. Eat more dark green vegetables

The minerals contained in dark green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli help form a protective film on the surface of teeth to prevent tooth discoloration. Dr. Thomas Connelly, a cosmetic dentist in New York, USA, also recommends eating more apples, pears, celery and carrots, which can promote saliva secretion, reduce oral bacteria and whiten teeth through chewing.

7. Replace your toothbrush regularly

Throw away your old toothbrush or replace the brush head on your electric toothbrush at least every 2 to 3 months. Otherwise, you're just introducing bacteria into your mouth.

8. Eat more cheese

Cheese contains a lot of protein and fat, vitamin A, calcium and phosphorus, which can balance the pH value in the mouth and prevent the acidic environment in the mouth that is conducive to bacterial activity and causes tooth decay. Eating cheese regularly can increase the calcium on the tooth surface, help strengthen and rebuild the enamel, make the teeth stronger, and also has the effect of whitening.

9. Mint is good for teeth whitening

Although mint is a plain flower, its scent is refreshing, and the freshness seeps into the skin from every pore, making every cell in the body transparent. It is a very happy feeling. Mint leaves contain monoterpene compounds, which can reach the lungs through the blood circulation. You feel a fresh smell when you breathe and make your teeth whiter.

10. Drink plenty of water

Although tea, coffee and red wine are very tempting, they are the enemy of whitening teeth. But how many people can resist these temptations? In fact, drinking water can help you have the best of both worlds. For example, if a cup of coffee is spilled on a wet towel, it will hardly leave a mark if you wash it immediately. But if coffee is spilled on a dry towel, it may not be so easy to clean. If you drink water frequently, your mouth will be moist, so even if you drink some colored drinks, it will not easily damage the whiteness of your teeth.

11. Chew celery

This method may sound a bit ridiculous, but it is a very good method. If you don't believe it, try it. Chew raw celery in big mouthfuls to let the rich crude fiber in the celery wipe the surface of the teeth, so that the pigment will not easily settle on the teeth.

12. Brush your teeth with orange powder

Dry the orange peel, grind it into powder, mix it with toothpaste and brush your teeth, and your teeth will be white in no time. Grind the clean orange peel into fine powder, mix a little with toothpaste when brushing your teeth every day, not only can it make your teeth white and fragrant, but also because orange peel has a strong antiseptic and sterilizing effect, long-term persistence can effectively strengthen teeth. The key point of this method is persistence. If you persist every day, you will feel the effect of using orange peel powder as toothpaste on your teeth.

13. Rinse your mouth with vinegar

Pour the vinegar into your mouth, let it fully contact your mouth, stay for 2 minutes, then spit it out, and then brush your teeth, you will feel your teeth become whiter. This method can quickly whiten teeth, but it has certain damage to teeth and cannot be used frequently.

14. Remember to rinse your mouth for 30 seconds after eating

Remember to rinse your mouth for 30 seconds after eating. This can help prevent plant pigments from causing tooth discoloration and also remove food debris from the mouth. Therefore, rinsing your mouth after meals can also help whiten your teeth.

15. Floss your mouth regularly

Even if you brush your teeth for 5 minutes every day, 30%-40% of your teeth are not cleaned thoroughly enough, especially for people with irregular teeth. Dental floss can remove dental plaque from "hidden places" and reduce the incidence of dental caries. But don't use it too often. Three times a week is the limit, otherwise the gaps between your teeth will make you unable to smile.

16. Drinking with a straw

Drinking carbonated drinks in large gulps can easily damage tooth enamel, causing tooth discoloration and tooth decay. It is recommended to use a straw when drinking such drinks.