Some people feel a bright white smile makes you appear younger and more attractive. Some people naturally have darker teeth than others, but even if you're born with very white teeth, over time they may darken or discolor due to a variety of factors. You can purchase various tooth-whitening systems in the store, or have your teeth professionally whitened by a dentist. Bleaches can remove many discolorations, though you may need veneers to cover some types of discoloration, according to Harvard Health Publications.
Smoking
Nicotine from cigarette smoke will leave a yellow film on painted walls, fabric, fingernails and your teeth. Bleaching can lighten or remove these nicotine stains.
Disease
A high fever during childhood when your adult teeth are forming can result in tooth discoloration, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Some diseases, such as amelogenesis imperfecta, can also lead to discoloration. Amelogenesis is a genetic defect that causes abnormal formation of tooth enamel.
Tea and Coffee
Tea and coffee can dye fabric and even stain wood. They can also stain teeth. If you drink a lot of tea of coffee, you may find your teeth darken over time. Bleaching can lighten your teeth, but if you continue drinking tea and coffee, they may darken again.
Fluoride
Municipalities add fluoride to drinking water to combat dental cavities, but too much fluoride can discolor teeth. According to UMMC, using fluoride rinses, fluoride toothpaste and fluoride supplements too often can also discolor your teeth.
Tetracycline
If your mother took tetracycline when she was pregnant, or if you took tetracycline before you were 8 years old, you may have yellow teeth. Before 1961, doctors prescribed tetracycline to treat some infections in both pregnant women and young children. According to the Drug Safety Society, tetracycline bonds with calcium in developing teeth, causing discoloration. Bleaching won't fade this type of discoloration because it's part of the makeup of the tooth itself, and not a surface stain.
