People care a lot about their smiles, and it’s no wonder, with Instagram being filled to the brim with gleaming white gnashers.
It’s also why so many people have been booking flights over to Turkey to get a cheaper set of veneers put in to get themselves that fresh white smile.
We all want our teeth to look and feel the best they can (Getty Stock Image)
But for those who prefer to keep it natural, even though you may be brushing and flossing twice a year, your teeth may turn yellow naturally regardless.
There’s a particular reason behind this, though.
It’s well documented that there are certain foods and drinks that can ruin your teeth quicker than others, wearing your enamel away.
The outer layer of your teeth, the enamel, is crucial to protect your teeth from breaking, and it helps to give your teeth a nice white colour when fresh.
However, once it erodes, you are susceptible to fractures and discoloration, with one drink above all known to be the worst for your chompers.
It’s coffee, sadly, while tea and wine can also ruin the colour of your teeth. And if you think it’s caffeine doing this and decaf is any better—you’re wrong.
Who would want yellow teeth? (Getty Stock Image)
So let’s say you avoid coffee. Well, it turns out that your teeth will go yellow anyway, unless you can reverse the aging process.
While there are a number of reasons behind discoloured teeth, ageing is one that you cannot steer clear of.
According to Naenae Dental Clinic, your enamel will slowly wear away and leave behind a set of yellow teeth, regardless of how healthy your teeth cleaning routine is.
They add: “This can be exacerbated by the simple fact that, based on our genetics, some of us are born with an extremely thick layer of enamel, and some of us naturally have a very thin layer.”
So essentially, it’s all up to genetics, the cards you were dealt at birth… Unless you want to make a quick trip to Turkey, of course.
Brushing your teeth won’t stop you from getting older (Getty Stock Image)
However, you can cut down on drinks that speed up the breaking down of teeth, such as the aforementioned three of coffee, tea, and wine, as well as dark soft drinks.
This is all due to chromogens, which make up the composition of the dark colour, though it is also sticky, meaning it can latch onto teeth.
So even if you’re brushing extra hard, more often than normal, make use of other products (which experts advise you to do), or even get your teeth cleaned and whitened, you will not see the long-term benefits.
If you continue drinking these drinks that stain, your teeth will end up adopting the yellow colour once again.
