Uneven teeth color is often caused by uneven coating of your chosen bleaching agent or from a professional. It can also be caused by aging, tooth stains, or weakening enamel. Once you find out why you can work with that to find a temporary solution.
A lot of the time, the edges of your teeth respond more quickly to bleaching than the inner areas since the bleach can penetrate the enamel more rapidly. The center of your tooth has more enamel than the outside, so it takes longer to show results.
Reasons for Stubborn Tooth Discoloration
Intrinsic stains: Intrinsic stains are stains that occur inside the tooth, often due to genetics, medication use, or trauma. These stains are harder to remove with traditional teeth whitening treatments.
If your teeth whitening has gone patchy, the reason might be dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis is a condition that arises from excessive fluoride exposure during tooth development. Fluoride is naturally found in various sources, including water, toothpaste, and specific dental treatments.
The natural color of teeth can vary due to various factors, including genetics, age, and lifestyle habits. Some individuals naturally have teeth that are darker or have a yellowish tint. These teeth may have a denser enamel layer or more pigmented dentin, making them more resistant to whitening treatments.
Uneven teeth color is often caused by uneven coating of your chosen bleaching agent or from a professional. It can also be caused by aging, tooth stains, or weakening enamel. Once you find out why you can work with that to find a temporary solution.
If you have been using over-the-counter bleach trays or whitening kits provided by your dentist, it is possible that a single tooth may not be whitening correctly because of previous dental work. Crowns and veneers do not whiten with bleaching agents, unlike natural teeth.
Regular touch-up treatments can help maintain the uniformity of the color. Addressing Specific Staining Issues: Sometimes, uneven whitening can be due to intrinsic stains or specific dental issues. In such cases, alternative cosmetic procedures like dental veneers or bonding may be more effective.
If your teeth still appear yellow after whitening, it might be due to enamel erosion. The enamel is the outer layer of your teeth, and when it wears down, the underlying dentin, which is yellow, becomes more visible. Erosion can happen due to acidic foods, aggressive brushing, or conditions like acid reflux.
It is advisable to see your dentist, who will check what the issue may be. Usually, the first thing to try is continuing with the whitening. Usually, you just need an extra syringe or two of gel to achieve a good result. The other check the dentist will make at this stage is the fit of your whitening trays.
If you've noticed small sections on one or more of your teeth that are a slightly different shade of white than the rest of the tooth, they are probably white spot lesions, which are an early sign of tooth decay.
Teeth that have yellowed with age
Dentin is naturally yellowish and cannot be lightened with teeth whitening products.
Brushing your teeth is meant to remove harmful bacteria and plaque but not to whiten them. As recommended by your dentist, brushing twice a day is vital because it prevents cavities and tooth decay. Brushing alone will not whiten your teeth, though, and even whitening toothpaste only has a minimal effect on your teeth.
If teeth whitening does not work for you, it might be because of the product you are using, the type of tooth stains or spots, or strength of the bleaching gel. Product type – Whitening toothpaste does not remove deeply embedded stains.
Teeth Are Not Clean
The chemicals break down the stain molecules that cause teeth to darken. Plaque buildup can block these whitening chemicals from reaching the stained teeth. Schedule a dental cleaning appointment first before using teeth whitening strips. This can prepare your teeth well for the whitening process.
Dehydrated teeth appear white and chalky. You'll notice this more if you're a mouth breather or have a cold. It's why you may get a white spot on a tooth overnight.
The intrinsic type of yellow staining is tightly bonded to the organic matrix of your enamel and will not be removed by brushing alone. They are harder to eliminate, so brushing with whitening toothpaste would have negligible effect. Much more is required to remove these stains.
The Link Between vitamin D Deficiency and Yellow Teeth
Increased Susceptibility to Cavities: Weak enamel due to insufficient calcium absorption increases the risk of cavities. Decayed areas can appear yellow or brown, contributing to an overall discolored smile.
However, it's important to understand that your teeth are especially susceptible to discoloration and staining immediately after teeth whitening. Thus, what you do after teeth whitening, especially in the first 48 hours after treatment, determines how well your results will last.
The white, patchy, streaky, or lined look of teeth after whitening is normal – it's called enamel demineralization.
Avoid touching the Whitestrips excessively with your tongue; this may cause the strips to loosen. If you still are having trouble getting a strip to stick, try gently tucking it into the spaces between your teeth with your fingernail, then folding it behind the teeth.
Your Teeth Aren't Clean: whitening products work on clean teeth not teeth covered with plaque or calculus. Always get your teeth cleaned before going for whitening. You have too many dental Restorations: Dental restorations, such as crowns or veneersor fillings, do not respond to tooth whitening.
What Causes White Spots on Teeth? There are various causes of white spots on teeth, such as excess fluoride, vitamin deficiency, infections and illnesses, trauma on teeth, poor dental hygiene, dental hypoplasia, and consuming many sugary or acidic foods and drinks, plaque, dry mouth, among others.
As the enamel continues to erode, your teeth might turn a gray or yellowish color. If your teeth change shape, it's a good indicator that you have enamel damage. Your teeth may begin to appear rounded, develop ridges, and often the gaps between teeth will become more substantial.