There's a huge mistake that people are making when it comes to brushing their teeth, and it could save your smile for years to come.
We all know that the way a smile looks can massively change someone's appearance, so when you find your teeth getting yellow - even though you're brushing twice a day - it can be very frustrating.
Despite this odd occurrence, many people end up having their teeth whitened regardless, to give them that shiny new smile - but what if you want to keep it natural?
Why do teeth go yellow?
The most common reason behind teeth going yellow is ageing, and as much as you want to fight it, this is unavoidable according to Didsbury Dental Practice.
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Unless you want to get them whitened, your teeth will turn yellow even if you are incredibly attentive to them, say experts.
The enamel protecting your teeth wears away as time goes on, making your teeth more susceptible to staining.
Some people have less enamel on their teeth in general, meaning that their teeth will become yellow quicker than for those with a thicker layer.
As well as this, factors such as oral hygiene, diet, smoking and medication can affect how easily stained your teeth are - but, what is the common mistake that people keep making that is ruining their gnashers?
What is causing teeth to go yellow quicker?
After eating breakfast and having your coffee, you might rush to brush your teeth to get the taste of it all out of your mouth, but it turns out that this may not be the smartest move.
In fact, you should wait at least 30 minutes before brushing or flossing your teeth, as doing it too soon after could actually make your situation worse.
It pushes the harmful acids further into our teeth, which explains why dentists usually recommend soft toothbrushes rather than medium or hard ones, as those can brush your enamel away.
In fact, dentists recommend that you brush your teeth before eating breakfast, as the bacteria that builds up in your mouth overnight will feed on the sugars of breakfast.
But what are the main factors that can affect the colour of teeth?
Food and drink
When it comes to diet, certain foods can cause your teeth to turn yellow by sticking to your enamel, with acidic drinks such as coffee or tea also giving the bacteria in your mouth a naturally staining acid that can harm your enamel and bind the colour to your teeth.
Other foods such as fruit juices, bread, cereal, and pastries, are damaging to your teeth, so the bottom line is that it's crucial that you brush your teeth before breakfast to avoid discolouration.
Oral Hygiene
Brushing and flossing twice a day is crucial, and can lead to plaque build-up, once again damaging the enamel on our teeth.
Smoking
Smoking is already harmful to our lung and heart health, though it does unsurprisingly also impact the mouth.
Tar and nicotine from tobacco can attach themselves to enamel and cause your teeth to turn yellow over time.
Medication
Certain medication can cause yellowing of the teeth, so it's always best to look at the list of side effects before using certain medicines.
Topics: Health, Food And Drink
Joshua Nair