Having orange teeth can be alarming, but there are a few common causes behind teeth discoloration. Understanding what leads to yellowish or orange teeth can help you take steps to restore your bright, white smile.
Causes of Orange Teeth
There are several factors that can cause teeth to become orange or yellowish in color:
Food and Drink
Consuming certain foods and drinks over time can stain your tooth enamel. Coffee, tea, red wine, and colas contain pigments that attach to your teeth. Citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, carrots, and red sauces can also discolor teeth.
Tobacco Use
Smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and chewing tobacco can all cause considerable staining of your teeth. The nicotine and tar in tobacco products coats your teeth and seeps into pores in the enamel. This leads to those signature tobacco brown stains.
Poor Dental Hygiene
Allowing plaque to build up on your teeth introduces staining compounds to their surface. Plaque also produces bacteria that generate acids that erode tooth enamel. Weakened enamel allows deeper penetration of staining pigments.
Age
As you age, the outer layer of enamel on your teeth gets thinner, exposing the yellowish dentin underneath. Teeth also accumulate more stains over the years, so lifelong habits like drinking coffee and tea can eventually take their toll.
Medications
Certain prescription drugs can lead to discoloration of your teeth. Tetracycline antibiotics taken during tooth development often permanently stain teeth brownish-gray. Antihistamines, high blood pressure medications, and antipsychotics can also cause discoloration.
Excessive Fluoride
Exposure to high amounts of fluoride through drinking water, supplements, or topical treatments can lead to teeth mottling. This appears as white specks or streaks on teeth.
Genetics
In some cases, people are simply born with enamel that is thinner or more porous than normal. This hereditary condition makes teeth more transparent, revealing the yellow tones of the dentin layer underneath.
Trauma
Injuries that result in a dead tooth or internal bleeding can cause a tooth to turn dark yellow, grey, or black. The discoloration is caused by the decomposition of blood trapped within the tooth.
Dental Treatments
Certain dental procedures like root canals or silver fillings can stain nearby teeth. Metal crowns or amalgam fillings can also give teeth a dark appearance.
Types of Orange Tooth Discoloration
There are a couple main types and patterns of orange tooth discoloration:
Surface Stains
Surface stains affect the enamel, which is the outermost layer of your teeth. Foods, drinks, tobacco, poor hygiene, and aging can all contribute to buildup on the enamel. This type of staining is external and can usually be removed by professional teeth whitening.
Internal Stains
Internal discoloration occurs when the inner structure of the tooth changes color. This type of staining goes beyond surface level and can be caused by trauma, cavities, medications, root canal treatments, and more. Internal stains are harder to remove and may require more aggressive whitening treatments.
Speckled Stains
Small white, yellow, or brown specks on teeth indicate fluorosis or mottling. This type of staining is caused by overexposure to fluoride early in life while teeth are still developing under the gums.
Band of Discoloration
A band of discoloration across the tops of teeth typically indicates tooth decay. It can also be caused by damage to the enamel from acidic erosion or abrasion. The band of yellow-orange color is where thinning enamel exposes the dentin underneath.
When to See Your Dentist
You should make an appointment with your dentist if:
- Teeth become progressively darker or stained over time
- Discoloration appears suddenly after trauma or dental treatment
- Stains are localized to a band near the gumline or tooth edges
- You notice white speckles or mottling on your teeth
- Tooth pain or sensitivity accompanies any staining
A dental exam can help identify the cause of staining and point you toward the best whitening treatments. For tooth decay or structural damage, restorative work may be required to fix areas of demineralization.
Preventing Orange Teeth
You can help keep your teeth pearly white by:
- Brushing twice a day and flossing daily
- Cutting back on staining foods and beverages
- Using straws when drinking colored beverages
- Rinsing your mouth after consuming staining foods and drinks
- Quitting smoking and tobacco use
- Getting dental cleanings every 6 months
Treatment Options for Orange Teeth
Several treatments are available for improving the appearance of discolored teeth:
Professional Teeth Whitening
In-office whitening performed by your dentist can dramatically brighten your smile in just one visit. A hydrogen peroxide gel is applied to the teeth before using specialized light or laser energy to accelerate the bleaching process.
At-Home Whitening Kits
Over-the-counter whitening trays allow you to whiten your teeth in the comfort of your home. You apply a lower concentration bleaching gel to the trays and wear them for periods of time over a couple weeks.
Whitening Toothpastes
Whitening toothpastes can help remove surface stains with mild abrasives and chemical polishers. However, they don’t contain bleaches so cannot alter intrinsic tooth color. Use as part of a daily oral care routine.
Dental Veneers
Veneers are custom-made porcelain covers that mask tooth discoloration with an even, bright white appearance. They require minor reshaping of your teeth.
Dental Bonding
Bonding resins can be applied directly to your teeth to cover stains or fill in chips and cracks that trap stains. The material is molded for a smooth finish and matched to your natural tooth color.
Dental Crowns
Crowns completely encase the visible portion of teeth with custom-fitted ceramic or porcelain covers. They are utilized when teeth are extensively damaged or discolored.
| Treatment | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Whitening | Fast results in one visit | More expensive, increased sensitivity |
| At-Home Whitening | Lower cost, less sensitivity | Gradual results over weeks |
| Whitening Toothpastes | Convenient, inexpensive | Marginal whitening power |
| Dental Veneers | Dramatic color change | Irreversible enamel removal |
| Dental Bonding | Affordable, conserves tooth structure | Less durable, requires retouches |
| Dental Crowns | Complete coverage for badly stained teeth | Expensive, major tooth preparation needed |
When to Consider Other Treatment
If you try over-the-counter or dentist-prescribed whitening treatments without success, you may need to consider more interventionist options like veneers, bonding, or crowns. Here are some signs it could be time to talk to your dentist about solutions beyond whitening:
- You have severe intrinsic stains affecting multiple teeth
- Stains are confined to a band near the gumline
- You have white spots or mottling from fluorosis
- You have localized staining due to trauma or dental work
- Your teeth are deeply etched from acid erosion
A dental professional can evaluate the extent of staining and enamel damage to determine if bonding, veneers, or crowns may be required to cover difficult tooth discoloration.
Conclusion
Orange tooth discoloration has a range of causes, from lifestyle factors like smoking to issues like dental trauma. Surface stains often respond well to professional or at-home whitening treatments. For intrinsic discoloration that resists bleaching, veneers, dental bonding, and crowns offer solutions to improve your smile.
Preventing the buildup of stains through good oral hygiene and limiting staining foods and drinks can help keep your teeth looking their brightest. But even with good prevention, many factors can still take a toll on your enamel over time. Seeing a dentist regularly gives you the chance to catch tooth discoloration early and discuss ways to restore your naturally white smile.