Wausau Dentist

According to the popular media, the only good smile is a pearly white one. Commercials, movies, and television shows bombard us daily with images of perfect, brilliant smiles. And yet, when many of us look in the mirror, we don?t see pearly white teeth. Why do teeth become discolored? Is it even possible for a normal person to have truly white teeth?

The Truth about Tooth Color

The first thing to realize about teeth is that they vary in color. Just like people have different skin tones even within the same ethnic group, different people will have teeth of different color. This natural variation in color has nothing to do with the health of teeth and is simply something that people are born with. Therefore, in most cases, people are born with ?off-white? teeth, rather than the brilliant bleached smile of a celebrity.

Beyond natural tooth color, however, there are other factors which can cause teeth to become less white. Some of these factors are mainly cosmetic, while others may be caused by unhealthy or damaged teeth.

To start off, many foods are known to ?stain? or otherwise discolor teeth. If you eat or drink these foods on a regular basis, over time your teeth will show the effects of your diet. Some examples of these so-called ?chromogenic? foods are coffee, tea, wine, and soft drinks. The discoloration caused by these foods is usually only cosmetic, and does not impact your oral or dental health.

Smoking or chewing tobacco is another way that teeth become stained. The nicotine content of these products, over time, will cause teeth to become yellow or brownish in color. Not only that, but the chemicals contained in tobacco products have been proven to seriously affect your oral health, and can increase your risk of developing gum disease or even cancer.

Taking in too much fluoride can also discolor teeth. Even though fluoride has many benefits, including the prevention of tooth decay, ingesting an excessive amount has been linked with discolored teeth. Young children who are prone to swallow toothpaste are especially affected by this. As a result, many dentists recommend that children under 5 be carefully supervised when brushing their teeth to avoid swallowing toothpaste as much as possible.

If your teeth are unhealthy and damaged by tooth decay or cavities, they will turn brownish or even black in places. Therefore, keeping a clean mouth not only benefits your health, but your appearance as well.

Finally, teeth also become discolored naturally over time. As people get older, their teeth will also show signs of aging, becoming darker in color. This is a perfectly normal physiological process and is not a sign of tooth decay.

To learn more about tooth discoloration and ways to keep teeth healthy and attractive, call 715-849-5667 and set up an appointment with Wausau dentist Dr. James S. Kim today.