If your teeth look a little more yellow than you’d like, whitening toothpaste can seem like the obvious place to start. You brush twice a day, after all, so shouldn’t a toothpaste designed to whiten your teeth actually make them whiter?
The answer is a little more complicated.
Whitening toothpastes can help remove some surface stains, but they don’t usually change the natural colour of your teeth. If your teeth are yellow because of their natural colour, age, enamel changes, or deeper staining, brushing with a whitening toothpaste may not give you the brighter smile you’re looking for.
Why Are My Teeth Yellow Even Though I Brush Every Day?
Yellow teeth don’t necessarily mean your teeth are dirty or that you’re doing something wrong.
Teeth naturally become less bright over time. The outer layer of enamel can become thinner with age, allowing more of the naturally yellow dentin underneath to show through.
Other common causes of tooth discolouration include:
- Coffee, tea, red wine, and other dark-coloured drinks
- Tobacco use
- Certain foods
- Natural changes that happen with age
- Certain medications or dental conditions
- Staining that has developed beneath the surface of the enamel
Good brushing and flossing habits are still important, but they can’t remove every type of discolouration.
So, What Does Whitening Toothpaste Actually Do?
Most whitening toothpastes work by using mild abrasives to help remove stains sitting on the surface of your teeth.
That can make your teeth look cleaner and slightly brighter, particularly if coffee, tea, or other foods have caused surface staining.
What they generally can’t do is change the underlying colour of the tooth.
That’s why someone can have excellent oral hygiene and still have teeth that look yellow.
How Is Professional Teeth Whitening Different?
Professional teeth whitening uses whitening agents that work differently from a standard whitening toothpaste. Rather than simply removing surface stains, professional whitening can lighten the colour of your natural teeth.
At Nest Dental Clinic, we offer professional teeth whitening with custom home whitening kits that allow you to brighten your smile from the comfort of your own home.
Before whitening, we’ll also make sure your teeth and gums are healthy enough for treatment. If you have cavities, gum disease, or another dental concern, it’s important to address that first.
What If Whitening Doesn’t Fix the Colour I Don’t Like?
Not every type of discolouration responds to traditional whitening.
For example, some deeper stains, changes in the structure of the tooth, or white spots may require a different approach. Depending on what’s causing the change in colour, options such as porcelain veneers, composite veneers, or Icon resin infiltration may be considered.
The right treatment depends on what’s actually causing the discolouration and what you’d like to change about your smile.
Looking for Teeth Whitening in Vaughan?
If you’ve been wondering why your teeth look yellow even though you brush every day, you’re not alone. A dental exam can help determine what’s causing the discolouration and which options are most likely to give you the result you’re looking for.
At Nest Dental Clinic, we offer professional teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry for patients in Vaughan, Maple, Woodbridge, and surrounding communities. We’ll take the time to understand what you’d like to change and help you choose an approach that looks natural and suits your smile.
Ready for a brighter smile? Contact Nest Dental Clinic to book a consultation.