Before getting teeth whitened, patients should know what factors lead to teeth staining.

Several culprits are responsible; some are caused by a natural process, while unhealthy habits bring others on.

Here are the most probable causes of discolouration and staining on teeth.

Ageing
Over time, your teeth’s level of whiteness decreases as the enamel on them slowly erodes. This leaves the yellow dentin that supports the enamel more apparent.

Certain Medicines
Taking antibacterial medication may also be a culprit in the fading of your pearly whites. For instance, an antibiotic called tetracycline is known to cause grey discolouration of the teeth. Talk to your dentist or doctor about these side effects and prescriptions.

Genes
In most people, the colour of their teeth darkens as they age, but some conditions cause teeth to become darker at birth. Most often, this occurs in shades of blue-grey or yellow-brown. This is because the outer coating of your teeth, called the enamel, is translucent, allowing the yellow inner layer known as dentin to peek through. While it’s possible to have naturally lighter teeth, some are born with dentinogenesis imperfecta, a condition which causes teeth to darken over time naturally.

Home DIY’s
While it’s tempting and relatively cheap to DIY teeth whitening at home, make sure you understand what to do and what to avoid. Know that there are many home remedies for whitening teeth. While all work, some of them are more effective than others.

Read: Teeth Whitening DIYs Do’s and Don’ts

An Unhealthy Diet and Lifestyle
Like clothes, teeth are prone to staining caused by pigmented food and beverages. To understand this better, it helps to know that teeth contain pores. These pores give your teeth a sponge-like texture, which can absorb certain foods and drinks. These are the top offenders:
● Carbonated drinks
● Coffee
● Energy drinks
● Fruit juices
● Red meat
● Red wine
● Sauces
● Tea

Poor lifestyle choices also stain your pearly whites. Smoking is not suitable for high-quality oral health. Nicotine and tar products, when consumed repeatedly, cause discolouration. And your teeth are likely to develop brown spots, which are far more difficult to remove than yellow stains.

Improper brushing and flossing also result in plaque buildup in the oral cavity, leading to tartar formation. If this happens, you must seek professional help; you cannot remove tartar on your own. You can instead look for plaque control agents such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate in your oral hygiene products.

The good news is, you can address these with teeth whitening!

This procedure restores your pearly whites to their natural colour with ease. Some reasons to consider this procedure include:

● Elevated self-confidence: It’s no secret that a bright smile can make you look good and feel great about yourself. People often judge the level of attractiveness of others based on the appearance of their teeth.You might find success when you can confidently flash your biggest, brightest smile. Your confidence level should increase, too, because you no longer have to cover your mouth when laughing or being photographed.

Read also: How Does Whiter Teeth Help in Building Confidence and Self-Esteem?

● Youthful appearance: Teeth are usually associated with youthfulness, and smiling can make you appear younger. True to its claims, a study published in Frontiers in Psychology revealed that smiling faces are perceived as younger than neutral or even angry faces. Moreover, a brighter smile can minimise the look of wrinkles by attracting more attention to the teeth than to the surrounding wrinkles and frown lines.

● Affordability: If you’re trying to improve your appearance overall, teeth whitening
treatments are a relatively inexpensive part of that process. Unlike plastic surgery, the procedures are easy to complete and painless; some of them can be done in hours, not weeks or months. The finished results are noticeable immediately after the procedure.

Conclusion
What are you waiting for? Address those annoying stains by getting your teeth whitened now! You can opt for those DIY kits from your local supermarket or drugstore or get them done by a professional! Your pearly whites can finally achieve that perfect smile you’ve always dreamed
of!

Do this now with Mooi Beauty’s home treatment kit. See results in just seven days from an HSA approved product with vegan and halal-friendly formula! Get yours on our website and enjoy free local delivery (Singapore) with $100 minimum spending.