Why Do Your Teeth Get Darker?

A tooth whitening has become a popular trend in recent years and is one of the most common cosmetic dental treatments. Many people are self-conscious if they have particularly discolored or yellowed teeth. However, most of the time tooth discoloration is a completely normal and natural process that has many different contributing factors.

Coffee and Tea

Most adults and a ton of teenagers take part in their daily dose of coffee or tea. In fact, every time we get up in the morning we look forward to that little push from a caffeine rush. However, these two common drinks are probably the most common factors that cause teeth to become discolored.
The dark colors in coffee and tea stain teeth over time until they become noticeably dark. Other dark drinks such as any dark soda like Coca-Cola have the same effect. Even red wines contribute to darkening teeth.
The teeth get stained because they are actually very porous bones, and the pores soak up the dark colors. The effect can be mitigated by brushing your teeth immediately after drinking something that causes staining, but eventually, you will have to get teeth whitening. A common problem after whitening, however, is that continuing to drink these beverages will cause them to stain once more.

Aging

Your age is less important but still contributing factor to tooth discoloration. The fact of the matter is that your teeth decay over your lifetime. The years of eating and drinking stain the teeth over time, no matter what you eat or drink.
There is a hereditary factor in how long it takes your teeth to become discolored, and it can most often be identified by the teeth of your parents and relatives. Luckily, getting your teeth whitened will mitigate the effects of aging and can even be permanent if you have good dental health.

Smoking and Drugs

After coffee drinking, the most common way teeth become stained over time is through smoking. The cigarette smoke contains substances that darken teeth over time to a dark yellow color. A long-time smoker can often be identified by the distinctive color of their teeth.
Quitting smoking can help stop the discoloration, but it is often permanent without teeth whitening. There are many prescription drugs that also discolor teeth as a side effect, so you should check with your doctor if this is an issue. Sometimes it can be an adverse effect from a drug you are taking.

Maintain Good Oral Health

If you don’t want to discolor your teeth, you should try to take preventative measures against many common factors that cause discoloration. The most obvious is quitting addictions such as coffee drinking or smoking, however, simply quitting these substances won’t stop the process altogether. Going in for your cleaning twice a year with your dentist can help, as well as brushing every day.
In the end, your teeth will become naturally discolored over time. While this process is inevitable, it is indeed reversible if you decide to go through with teeth whitening.