Bright white teeth have always signaled health and beauty.  But for many of us, white teeth are a thing of the past.  Many factors conspire to darken teeth, damaging our smile and in turn our confidence and self-esteem.

Dark Teeth

There are a number of reasons why our teeth darken over the years, some of which are natural, and others which we have a hand in causing, the most common of which are:

• Age – as we grow older, the white enamel on the outside of the tooth wears away, revealing the inner structure of the tooth, known as the dentin, which is a darker color, resulting in teeth that appear darker or discolored.
• Certain medications – use of certain medications, particularly during childhood dental development, can result in discolored teeth.  One such drug is tetracycline, an antibiotic.
• Flouride over-consumption – too much fluoride can also give teeth a discolored appearance, a condition called “fluorosis”.
• Heredity – some people just naturally have darker teeth than others, due to such things as thinner enamel layers.
• Improper dental hygiene.
• Soda, coffee, and tea – habitually drinking dark liquids such as soda, coffee, or tea can result in discolored or darker teeth.  More specifically, the acid in soda can dissolve the enamel layer of the tooth, revealing the darker internal tooth structure.  Hot liquids like coffee and tea can cause microscopic cracks in the enamel, hastening decay.
• Tobacco use – habitual use of tobacco products can cause a yellow or orange stain to form on the enamel of your teeth.
• Trauma to the tooth – a tooth that has been bumped or hit may turn a darker color than the surrounding teeth.  Likewise, dental treatments such as root canals may result in a discolored tooth.

Whatever your reason for suffering from tooth discoloration, it is not something you have to live with permanently.  There are many ways of whitening teeth, both at home and professionally by dental experts.