Somewhere along the way, we started believing that bright white teeth equalled healthy teeth. But that’s simply not true.
As an Oral Health Therapist, I can say confidently: yellow teeth are not automatically unhealthy. And on the flip side, white teeth are not automatically healthy either.
Teeth have layers
Like us 😉, teeth have layers.
The outer layer is enamel, which is somewhat translucent or see-through. Underneath that sits dentine, which is naturally yellowish in most people.
Those people you see with naturally white teeth just happened to hit the genetic lottery, and got thicker enamel and/or paler dentine.
Whereas other people naturally have thinner enamel or yellower dentine, which means their teeth will appear more yellow, even when they’re perfectly healthy.
Note that I’m talking about natural teeth here – not those with veneers or who get their teeth power whitened at the dentist!
Why kids' new adult teeth look yellow
A great example of this is when children start getting their adult teeth.
I used to have parents in the dental clinic worry about their kids brand new and perfectly healthy adult teeth “They look so yellow!” But – this is completely normal.
Baby teeth are naturally whiter and more opaque, while adult teeth are thicker and contain more dentine. That extra dentine makes adult teeth look slightly yellower by comparison. When the two types of teeth sit side-by-side, the contrast is much more noticeable.
Teeth naturally darken with age
In addition to this, our teeth do tend to change colour as we get older (boo!).
Over time, the enamel becomes thinner with day to day wear, which allows the dentine underneath to show through more. We also develop secondary dentine over time. In fact, secondary dentine can be used as a way to determine someone’s age!
Both these changes can make teeth appear darker or more yellow. Yes, it’s a bit of a bummer, but it is just part of the natural ageing process!
What about stains?
As we eat, drink, and live, our teeth do get stained. Stains also don’t mean your teeth are automatically unhealthy. Coffee, tea, turmeric and red wine (in moderation) aren’t helpful if you’re wanting to get your teeth to their whitest, but they don’t harm your teeth. Smoking however – that’s a different story!
So, what actually makes teeth healthy?
As you can see, tooth colour alone doesn’t tell you much about someones’ oral health.
Healthy teeth are:
Free of tooth decay
Supported by healthy gums and bone
Cleaned regularly with both brushing and flossing
Checked regularly by a dentist and hygienist
If you’re doing these things, you’re automatically winning, no matter how white your teeth are.
What can I do if I want whiter teeth?
What if even after knowing all this, we still want white teeth? 😆
First off, there’s nothing wrong with that! If it makes you happier when you smile – by all means go ahead.
Teeth don’t need to be blinding white, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting a gentle teeth brightening or whitening.
If you decide you are keen on a natural looking glow-up, a gentle whitening gel is the safest place to start.
Are yellow teeth unhealthy teeth?
Let’s start with the short answer: no.
Somewhere along the way, we started believing that bright white teeth equalled healthy teeth. But that’s simply not true.
As an Oral Health Therapist, I can say confidently: yellow teeth are not automatically unhealthy. And on the flip side, white teeth are not automatically healthy either.
Teeth have layers
Like us 😉, teeth have layers.
The outer layer is enamel, which is somewhat translucent or see-through. Underneath that sits dentine, which is naturally yellowish in most people.
Those people you see with naturally white teeth just happened to hit the genetic lottery, and got thicker enamel and/or paler dentine.
Whereas other people naturally have thinner enamel or yellower dentine, which means their teeth will appear more yellow, even when they’re perfectly healthy.
Note that I’m talking about natural teeth here – not those with veneers or who get their teeth power whitened at the dentist!
Why kids' new adult teeth look yellow
A great example of this is when children start getting their adult teeth.
I used to have parents in the dental clinic worry about their kids brand new and perfectly healthy adult teeth “They look so yellow!” But – this is completely normal.
Baby teeth are naturally whiter and more opaque, while adult teeth are thicker and contain more dentine. That extra dentine makes adult teeth look slightly yellower by comparison. When the two types of teeth sit side-by-side, the contrast is much more noticeable.
Teeth naturally darken with age
In addition to this, our teeth do tend to change colour as we get older (boo!).
Over time, the enamel becomes thinner with day to day wear, which allows the dentine underneath to show through more. We also develop secondary dentine over time. In fact, secondary dentine can be used as a way to determine someone’s age!
Both these changes can make teeth appear darker or more yellow. Yes, it’s a bit of a bummer, but it is just part of the natural ageing process!
What about stains?
As we eat, drink, and live, our teeth do get stained. Stains also don’t mean your teeth are automatically unhealthy. Coffee, tea, turmeric and red wine (in moderation) aren’t helpful if you’re wanting to get your teeth to their whitest, but they don’t harm your teeth. Smoking however – that’s a different story!
So, what actually makes teeth healthy?
As you can see, tooth colour alone doesn’t tell you much about someones’ oral health.
Healthy teeth are:
If you’re doing these things, you’re automatically winning, no matter how white your teeth are.
What can I do if I want whiter teeth?
What if even after knowing all this, we still want white teeth? 😆
First off, there’s nothing wrong with that! If it makes you happier when you smile – by all means go ahead.
Teeth don’t need to be blinding white, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting a gentle teeth brightening or whitening.
If you decide you are keen on a natural looking glow-up, a gentle whitening gel is the safest place to start.
Solid Teeth Whitening was designed for this very purpose, and you can check it out here.