06-19-2025
If you have teeth that appear yellow, you might be a bit self-conscious about your smile. Help is on the way! In this article, we’ll share what causes your teeth to appear yellow and how to prevent discoloration. We’ll cover ways to keep your teeth white with at-home and professional treatments.
Key Takeaways
- Teeth can appear yellow because of poor oral hygiene, diet, smoking, genetics, illness, trauma, certain medications, and aging.
- To prevent a yellow appearance of your teeth, improve your oral hygiene by brushing your teeth as recommended (i.e. twice a day) and flossing once a day; avoid stain-causing foods, certain medications, and nicotine; and visit your dentist twice a year.
- Teeth whitening options include whitening toothpaste, floss, whitening kits, and professional teeth bleaching.
- You can't whiten dental work such as fillings, dental crowns, or veneers with teeth whitening treatments, as they are made of materials that don't react to bleaching agents. Instead, focus on maintaining their appearance through good oral hygiene, regular professional cleanings, and potentially replacing them if they become significantly stained or discolored.
What Causes Yellow Teeth?
Yellow teeth can be caused by certain lifestyle choices as well as things out of your control. Let’s take a closer look at each cause.
Poor Oral Hygiene
If you are not maintaining good oral hygiene, your teeth can turn yellow since you’re not removing plaque or preventing tartar sufficiently during your daily oral hygiene routine.
Diet
Another cause of the yellow appearance of your teeth might be your diet, as certain foods stain your tooth enamel. Here are a few known teeth-staining food and beverages:
Coffee
Tea
Red Wine
Berries
Soy Sauce
Cola
Smoking
Smoking causes yellow teeth thanks to the build-up of chemical residue from nicotine and tar. This residue can seep into the tooth enamel and cause discoloration. On top of that, in the long-term, smoking can lead to gum disease, bad breath, and cancer.
Genetics
Genetics significantly influence the natural color and appearance of teeth, primarily by determining the thickness and translucency of enamel, the outermost layer, and the color of the dentin beneath
Illness
In addition, various health conditions impact enamel development and can cause yellow teeth. Some of these conditions include:
Liver disease
Eating disorders
Celiac disease
Metabolic disorders
Trauma
Along with genetics and overall health, if you sustained facial trauma while playing sports or in a car accident, your impacted teeth may show discoloration.
Trauma to a tooth can cause discoloration because the injury damages the blood vessels and nerves within the tooth's pulp, leading to a buildup of blood and its breakdown products, which stain the dentin and can cause a gray or brown discoloration.
Medications
Certain medications can lead to tooth discoloration, including:
Some Antibiotics (e.g. Tetracycline, Doxycycline)
Some antihistamines
Some high blood pressure medications
Chemotherapy medications
Aging
As you age, natural wear and tear on your teeth, specifically the enamel, can lead to tooth discoloration. As the tooth enamel becomes thinner, the yellowish dentin beneath becomes more visible, causing your teeth to appear darker or more yellow.
How to Whiten Yellow Teeth
If you aren’t happy with your tooth color, here are some tips for at-home and in-office whitening treatments.
Try Whitening Products
The most popular at-home whitener options include:
Toothpaste
Whitening toothpastes contain ingredients that both remove and prevent stains. Ingredients include mild abrasives to remove stains, and stain-dissolving compounds such as sodium hexametaphosphate.
Floss
Flossing your teeth can make them look whiter by removing plaque and excess food particles that you may not see in the mirror.
Whitening Kits
A range of whitening kits are available at your local drugstore and through your dentist. The kits normally include filling a tray with a whitening liquid or gel (often hydrogen peroxide) or applying the whitening solution directly to your teeth.
Opt for In-Office Whitening Treatments
If you want a faster, brighter white, try an in-office treatment. Let’s take a look at what your dentist might recommend.
Professional Tooth Bleaching
With professional teeth whitening, your dentist will apply a stronger whitening agent to your teeth. Some whitening treatments incorporate a light or laser that is focused on the teeth to speed up the bleaching process.
Veneers
A veneer is a thin piece of porcelain or resin bonded to your tooth with dental cement.
Veneers are ideal for the treatment of discolored vital teeth that do not respond well to bleaching. This includes moderate discoloration caused by tetracycline staining, excessive fluoride uptake, and aging.
Veneers not only help improve discoloration but can also close moderate gaps between front teeth and improve the appearance of teeth that didn’t develop properly.
A Note about Fillings, Crowns, and Veneers
Keep in mind that you can't whiten dental work such as fillings, dental crowns, or veneers with teeth whitening treatments, as they are made of materials that don't react to bleaching agents.
Instead, focus on maintaining their appearance through good oral hygiene, regular professional cleanings, and potentially replacing them if they become significantly stained or discolored.
Preventing Yellow Teeth
Now that we’ve looked at the causes of yellow teeth and how to whiten them, let’s turn our attention toward how to prevent yellowing in the first place.
Take Care of Your Teeth
This may be obvious, but keeping up your oral hygiene is key to whiter teeth.
Brush Properly
Brush your teeth two times a day, for two minutes each time using toothpaste with fluoride. When it comes to technique, tilt your toothbrush to 45 degrees to the gumline and brush in front-back motions across each tooth.
Choose the Right Toothbrush
Your toothbrush should have soft bristles and a small enough brush head to reach all surfaces of all of your teeth.
For a deeper clean, try an electric toothbrush. Many electric toothbrushes feature micro-vibrating bristles and specialized cleaning modes designed to support better daily oral hygiene habits.
Keep Your Toothbrush Fresh
Your toothbrush should be replaced as recommended, every three months. If you have an electric model, you only have to change the brush head.
Floss Daily
Floss at least once a day to remove any food particles or plaque stuck between your teeth where your brush can’t reach.
Use Antibacterial Mouthwash
You can use an antibacterial mouthwash to help reduce plaque and bacteria.
Avoid Stain-Causing Foods
Unfortunately, your morning coffee and end-of-day glass of red wine are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to tooth stains. Prevent discoloration by avoiding foods and drinks that can lead to staining on your teeth.
Talk to Your Doctor About Medications
If you’re taking a medication that causes tooth discoloration, talk to your doctor about an alternative without this side effect.
Don’t Smoke
One of the best things you can do to prevent yellow teeth is to stop smoking. The longer you’re a smoker, the yellower your teeth will become. Kicking the habit will not only help your tooth color, but also your overall health.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
While the above tips can help, they cannot take the place of professional dental cleanings. Make an appointment with your dentist every six months for a cleaning and check-up to ensure your teeth look their best.
Smile Bright
Turn your yellow teeth white again by keeping up with your oral hygiene, adjusting your lifestyle, and trying at-home or professional whitening treatments.
To maintain your whiter smile every day, choose Oral-B’s iO Electric Toothbrush Series, which removes 100% more plaque than manual toothbrushes. Couple that with stannous fluoride toothpaste, daily floss, and an antiseptic rinse for the best results.
Let Oral-B help you smile your brightest, whitest smile!
Sources
About the Author
Dr. Monika Negi is a qualified Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologist with over five years of clinical and academic experience and over two years in P&G Research and Development. A Commonwealth Scholar, she holds a Master of Science in Global Health & Management from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom, and a Master of Dental Surgery and Bachelor of Dental Surgery from H.P. University, India. At Procter & Gamble, Monika plays a pivotal role in the Global Oral Care R&D within the Global Professional & Scientific Relations team. Leveraging her clinical expertise and academic rigor, she drives the scientific advancement of Global Oral Care products, ensuring they are clinically validated, and aligned with industry-leading standards. Monika is also responsible for all technical and scientific training for the Global Professional and Scientific Relations team. Her contributions have enhanced product credibility and fortified P&G’s commitment to evidence-based innovation. Monika has been partnering with the team at Oral-B by fact-checking and reviewing our blogs on dental health. You can find a list of the blogs Monika has approved below:
FAQs
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