Brushing your teeth every day is one of the best habits for maintaining good oral hygiene, so it can feel frustrating when your teeth still look yellow despite regular brushing. The truth is, yellowing isn’t always caused by poor cleaning. Teeth can change colour due to several reasons that brushing alone cannot fix. Here are the most common causes and what you can do about them.
1. Natural Enamel Colour & Genetics
Not everyone starts with bright white teeth. The outer layer of the tooth, called enamel, varies in thickness and colour from person to person. Thicker enamel appears whiter, while thinner enamel allows the naturally yellow dentin underneath to show through. If your enamel is naturally thin due to genetics, your teeth may look yellow even with excellent oral hygiene. Brushing cannot change enamel genetics — but professional whitening options can help brighten your smile.
2. Staining from Foods & Drinks
Some everyday foods and drinks can gradually stain teeth, even if you brush daily. Tea, coffee, cola, wine, turmeric-rich foods, berries, beetroot, and tomato-based sauces contain colour pigments called chromogens that attach to your enamel. Over time, these pigments build up and cause discolouration. Rinsing your mouth after consuming staining foods or using a straw for coloured drinks can help reduce the impact.
3. Tobacco Use
Smoking or chewing tobacco is one of the fastest ways to yellow your teeth. Nicotine and tar seep into enamel and cause deep, stubborn stains that regular brushing cannot remove. Quitting tobacco and getting a professional dental cleaning can significantly improve the colour of your teeth.
4. Age-Related Yellowing
As you age, enamel naturally becomes thinner due to years of chewing, brushing, and exposure to acidic foods. When enamel wears down, the underlying yellow dentin becomes more visible, causing teeth to appear darker or more yellow. This is a normal process but can be improved with whitening treatments or cosmetic options like veneers.
5. Excessive Fluoride Exposure
While fluoride is beneficial for protecting teeth, too much of it—especially during childhood—can cause a condition called fluorosis. This results in white or yellowish-brown patches on the teeth. Although brushing helps maintain cleanliness, it cannot reverse fluorosis. Dentists can treat it with whitening, microabrasion, or veneers depending on severity.
6. Plaque & Tartar Build-Up
Even if you brush daily, plaque can accumulate in areas your toothbrush doesn’t reach, eventually hardening into tartar. This gives teeth a yellow or brownish tint. Regular professional cleanings help remove tartar and bring back your natural tooth colour.
What You Can Do
If your teeth look yellow despite brushing, consider: reducing stain-causing foods and drinks, quitting tobacco, using an electric toothbrush, and scheduling regular dental cleanings. For deeper discolouration, professional teeth whitening or cosmetic treatments offer safe and effective results.
