Can yellow teeth become white? Many people have yellow teeth, and sometimes it’s natural and unavoidable, but other times it can be corrected with a bit of work. If you want to know if you need teeth whitening cost, read on to learn about the different types of yellowing and what causes them so you can determine if getting your teeth whitened will help you feel more confident in your smile again.
An Overview
Everyone wants white, pearly-white teeth. But not everyone can afford professional teeth whitening before and after services (which often cost upwards of $400). So what’s a person to do? DIY teeth whitening seems like an obvious solution, but anyone who has tried it knows that good results take time, patience and a bit of elbow grease. And then there are all those ingredients that don’t sound particularly healthy. Well here is some good news: It may be possible for your smile to become less yellow with minimal work and money. Here’s how…
Causes of Yellow Teeth
Foods and beverages with high acidity can damage tooth enamel, causing yellowing. A diet rich in dark fruits like blueberries and blackberries, soda, coffee and tea can cause discoloration of your pearly whites. Smoking tobacco is also a common cause of stained teeth. Most types of tobacco contain nicotine which causes a yellowish tinge on your teeth. The more you smoke, the greater your risk for stained or yellow teeth. If you have been consuming these foods or drinks but are confused as to why they aren’t affecting your smile that much, then you may not have a very severe case of staining. You might want to consider purchasing an over-the-counter whitening system instead.
Who Needs Teeth Whitening
In an ideal world, all of us would be able to enjoy a sparkling-white smile. However, several factors may make it necessary to give your pearly whites a little bit of help. For example, smoking and drinking can both lead to yellowing over time, but yellowing can also indicate more serious oral health problems. In order for dentists and hygienists to determine whether or not you need treatment for discoloration—whether it’s from smoking or something else—it is necessary that they conduct a thorough exam of your mouth.
Tooth Whitening Process
There are several methods for tooth whitening, but generally your dentist will either recommend in-office bleaching or take-home kits. Both can be very effective; however, in most cases, over-the-counter kits just aren’t strong enough for patients with darker stains.
This is where in-office bleaching comes into play: it usually requires a much higher concentration of bleach to effectively remove dark stains than over-the counter products can provide. Your dentist will likely ask about any changes in your daily diet and habits as well, which could affect your overall dental health and make it necessary for them to recommend more intensive cleaning or treatment beyond just removing surface stains.
Post-Process Tips
Get In Shape While Watching Your Wallet: Most people think they can’t afford a good teeth-whitening system, but that’s just not true. We’ve put together a list of our top three product recommendations to help our readers get in shape while watching their wallets! #1 on our list is Smile Brilliant Diamond Kit. This kit comes with everything needed for at-home teeth whitening and cost less than $40. The next two products are by Sensodyne: Toothpaste with Fresh Mint and Enamel Repair Whitener . Each can be found online for under $10 each.
Cost of Teeth Whitening
Over-the-counter teeth whiteners generally contain ingredients like hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and/or calcium carbonate (also known as hydrated lime). They can do a great job of lightening your teeth, but they’re not very reliable for restoring your smile to its former glory. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent that helps remove stains from your enamel and lighten tooth color, but it also removes some protective elements from your tooth.
That can make your enamel more susceptible to decay in the future. In addition, many products using hydrogen peroxide don’t include a conditioning agent like calcium carbonate or stannous fluoride that actually helps rebuild enamel. These over-the-counter kits are best used only occasionally to maintain a whiter smile. For more dramatic results, consider professional teeth whitening.
A dentist will use either lasers or high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide—usually 10%—to remove discoloration from your teeth and protect them against further damage. While it won’t give you Hollywood white, it will help brighten your smile significantly—and keep it looking good for years to come. Teeth whitening costs around $200-$500 depending on how much treatment you need and how long you want results to last.
Where to Go For Teeth Whitening
If your smile isn’t as bright as it used to be, then you may want to get your pearly whites back in shape with a treatment like tooth bleaching. (Not sure whether or not it’s necessary? We’ve written a guide on how to know if you really need teeth whitening.) However, while most dentists offer some form of bleaching service, few dentists also offer other cosmetic treatments—such as zirconia crowns and veneers—so it pays to do your research when looking for an aesthetician. A few questions worth asking include: How long have they been in business? What is their specialty? How much experience do they have performing this procedure? What credentials does he/she have?
