5 Habits That Turn Your Teeth Yellow and How to Whiten Them

Would you like white teeth or yellow ones? Whoever you are, we're sure you'd pick white. White teeth suggest good health, and they also boost your confidence and make your look more cheerful.

People start out with white teeth. Not the bright white shown in toothpaste ads, but a bluish white. Over time, teeth can turn yellow or dull. A person's habits (lifestyle) also play a part in that change of color.

5 Bad Habits That Turn Teeth Yellow

Human teeth are covered in enamel. Beneath it lies another layer called dentin, which is yellow. When the enamel wears away, the dentin is what remains, and that is the layer we see.

These 5 habits can turn teeth yellow, which is why you may need to visit a teeth bleaching clinic in Jakarta to whiten them quickly.

1. Drinking tea and coffee

The enamel on human teeth can lose out to the caffeine in tea and coffee. When someone drinks these beverages 2-3 times a day, day after day, leftover stains settle easily on the dentin. If they aren't cleaned off, they deepen the yellow color of the dentin.

Tea and coffee sweetened with sugar also increase the amount of bacteria in the mouth, which pushes up acid production. The danger of sweetened tea and coffee is not only yellowing teeth but cavities too.

If you want to look after your dental health, you need to limit how much tea and coffee you drink.

2. Smoking

The nicotine and tar in tobacco are one cause of yellow teeth. These substances are so strong that the staining can happen quickly. That is why the teeth of heavy smokers are brownish black.

Besides yellowing teeth, smoking is also harmful to your health overall. So if you want to look after your dental health, stop smoking.

3. Often eating acidic fruit

Fruits such as oranges, pineapples, tomatoes and lemons taste great, especially served as juice. There's no denying that fruit is full of vitamins.

But eating too much of it can have side effects on your teeth, and yellowing is one of them. So after eating these fruits, drink some plain water too.

4. Using too much mouthwash

Many mouthwashes now help clean the mouth and teeth. Keep in mind, though, that using too much mouthwash can cause a dry mouth. In the end, the tooth enamel gets damaged.

When your mouth is dry, saliva production drops. Saliva keeps the mouth moist, destroys harmful bacteria, reduces acidity and keeps stains from sticking to the enamel.

5. Brushing too fast and too hard

Cleaning your teeth with a brush and toothpaste is a must, at least three times a day. But there's no need to be overenthusiastic about it by scrubbing hard and fast. Doing so wears down the thin enamel and exposes the dentin layer, and the teeth turn yellow.

It is better to brush at an ordinary pace. If you aren't satisfied with the result, there's no harm in cleaning your teeth with dental floss as well.

What should you do when your teeth are already yellow?

What should you do if your teeth have already turned yellow because you often practice the 5 habits above? You can choose between teeth bleaching at a dental clinic in Jakarta and caring for your teeth yourself.

Teeth bleaching is a way of whitening teeth by putting certain chemicals in the mouth, so the teeth can turn white faster.

It is all up to you. Do you want to do it yourself, or have an expert do it at a teeth bleaching clinic in Jakarta? Whichever you choose, always remember that looking after your teeth is better than treating problems later.

Read also: Tips for Choosing a Teeth Bleaching Service