Are your teeth not quite pearly or white? Don’t worry, we have five easy solutions to make your teeth whiter and brighter.

Did you know that one-third of Americans are unhappy with their smile? That statistic includes more than teeth discoloration but having yellow teeth was definitely a complaint from survey respondents.

Are you one of that 1/3? Have you tried or looked at trying commercial whitening strips in the past, but found them too expensive or inefficient? If yes — that’s because there are better ways to fix teeth discoloration, like by talking to your dentist about it.

Want to know what your dentist would suggest if you asked them about yellow teeth? Read about the dentist-approved methods below.

1. Reduce Consumption of Staining Foods

While you can’t go back and time and un-eat or un-drink all the things you’ve consumed in the past, you can prevent your teeth discoloration from getting worse. This is especially important if you use one of the more efficient teeth whitening methods below, as you’ll want to protect your investment.

Some of the worst foods that turn your pearly whites into yellowy whites are…

Black Coffee

The issue with coffee isn’t so much its dark color, but its high acidity. That acidity hurts your enamel, which, in turn, allows the color to discolor your teeth.

We’re not suggesting you stop drinking coffee. We know that’s unrealistic and mean to suggest. Instead, try adding a little more milk or creamer to your cup of joe. Milk and creamers (and some plant milk) have fats in them, which reduces the effect of the coffee’s acidity on your teeth.

Red Wine

Alas, it’s true. Dark wine can discolor your teeth if you drink enough of it. Instead of turning them yellow, however, they get a little blue. Just ask the French, who have this problem often.

If you’re going to keep drinking red wine, make sure to rinse by drinking water afterward and ask your dentist for a neutralizing mouthwash recommendation.

Cutting back on wine, coffee, and other foods that are bad for your teeth won’t retroactively whiten them, but they can help you keep your new teeth (see below) healthy for longer.

2. Get Regular Cleanings

It’s possible that you have naturally white teeth but that they’re hiding under all that plaque. Plaque is a substance that builds up on your teeth when you eat, drink, and just generally live your life.

It’s a film of bacteria that builds up and can be taken care of by regular brushing and flossing. If it builds up for too long or you’re not doing a good job brushing, it can cause tooth decay, discoloration, gum disease, and increased tartar build-up.

Plaque and tartar are what your hygienist removes from the cracks of your teeth when they use the scraping tool during cleanings.

If you’re thinking, “but I do brush my teeth!”, it’s possible you don’t brush them well. You should be brushing twice a day for 2 minutes each time.

Ask your hygienist or dentist if you’re missing a certain area of your teeth while brushing to improve your technique — no one is perfect, and they’ll respect you for asking!

3. Get a Professional Whitening Done

The most effective way to fix tooth decoloration, at least, without getting “new” teeth, is to get professional whitening done at your local dentist office.

Your dentist will prescribe a specific treatment strength and length for you, based on the types of teeth stains you have and your sensitivity levels. Those are two things you won’t get from at-home whitening kits, which are made to be much stronger than they need to be.

If you’ve ever used one, you probably remember having heightened sensitivity or even pain after going through a course of at-home whitening treatments. While in-clinic treatments aren’t perfect, they’re a lot less likely to cause you pain — during the treatment and after.

Think that getting your teeth professionally whitened will take too long? Our clinic prides itself on being fast and efficient, without losing quality. We’ll get it done as quickly as possible so you can get back to your day, with your teeth shining.

4. Veneers

Sometimes whitening isn’t the best option. Either it would take too many treatments to fix the types of teeth stains that are part of your tooth discoloration issues or you have sensitivity issues.

If that’s the case, look into getting veneers. They’ve come a long way since you heard about them (or even got them) as a child and the process is getting more pleasant.

If you have white stains on teeth, veneers are a better option than whitening, as whitening teeth can just make those stains whiter.

The veneers we use are custom porcelain, which we custom-shape to your teeth using CAD/CAM technology.

Additionally, the coating on our veneers is stain-resistant, so you don’t have to add that much milk or creamer to your coffee as we suggested above.

Are you dealing with more issues than just teeth discoloration? Veneers are multi-use. They can help create the appearance of closing gaps between teeth, reshape a crooked tooth without painful drilling, and aren’t as involved as getting dental implants (though those are sometimes necessary).

Veneers are something our dentists specialize in, so let the team know if you’re interested in them at your next appointment or by calling our office staff.

5. Full Mouth Restoration or Smile Makeover

Technically these are two different procedures, but people use the terms interchangeably. To clarify, a full-mouth restoration includes more than addressing cosmetic damage and may include dental implants, extensive dental work, and possibly surgery.

A smile makeover, on the other hand, is mostly cosmetic. It could include braces, teeth whitening, getting veneers , or a combination of the three.

Your dentist will help you decide which treatment is right for you based on your specific concerns. Call today to set up a quick consultation and squeeze in a cleaning while you’re at it — you know you’re due for one (most adults are).

Addressing Teeth Discoloration: The Root of the Problem

Part of fixing teeth discoloration is figuring out what made it possible in the first place. Of course, some age-related discoloration is normal, as our teeth age over time.

But if you think your teeth are more yellow or you have more teeth discoloration than other people your age, talk to your dentist about it. They can help you whiten your smile and keep it from getting re-discolored after treatment.

Ready to book an appointment? Call now.