Why do teeth turn yellow?

The color of tooth enamel can vary from person to person - some people shine with a white smile until old age without resorting to dentists and hygienists, while others cover their mouths when they laugh because they are embarrassed of their yellowed teeth.

Dentist Vladimir Losev told "Doctor Peter" why this happens and whether you should worry about your health if the enamel on your teeth is not blindingly white.

"By enamel we mean the outer, visible layer of the tooth, which is considered the hardest tissue in the body. This layer is even much harder than bone. Underneath it is another, softer layer of hard dental tissue - dentin," he said.

He noted that one of the causes of enamel discoloration, which most often shows up on the cutting edges or chewing surfaces of teeth, is the translucency of the dentin.

"Dentin has a yellowish tint, so when the top layer of tooth enamel is abraded and thinned, yellowing of the teeth is the most common. This process is called enamel demineralization. Quite often it is also accompanied by increased tooth sensitivity - when there is a reaction to hot or cold. But it has nothing to do with caries", said the dentist.

The specialist also named the causes of demineralization of teeth:

- heredity,

- age-related changes,

- systemic autoimmune diseases,

- an excess or, conversely, a lack of fluoride,

- smoking,

- unbalanced diet,

"The same demineralization process can also occur in the cervical areas of the tooth," specifies the doctor.  "Sometimes when teeth are overloaded in this area, wedge-shaped defects begin to occur: so you can see the dentin when the gum is raised or lowered (if we are talking about the lower jaw) and the root cement, which also has a yellowish tint."

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter