Maybe you’ve heard it said, or maybe you’ve asked yourself, “Why don’t my teeth get as white as they used to?” or “Does aging make it harder to whiten teeth?” or “why don’t my teeth get as white as other people’s teeth, no matter how much I whiten? What’s the deal?”
These questions are all too common—but the good news is, science has answers.
Age, genetics, and lifestyle all play an integral role in the effectiveness of teeth whitening.
Genetics, lifestyle, and age absolutely influence how white teeth can get with teeth whitening treatments, and yes—the level of “whiteness” one can achieve with teeth whitening can certainly change over time.
We talked to Dr. Renato Miotto Palo, a renowned dentist, dental clinical researcher, and lecturer about aging, genetics, lifestyle, and how they factor into the effectiveness of teeth whitening. We hope it will help you understand the “why’s” behind these factors, and that you can implement lifestyle changes to prevent or at least partially prevent some of these changes from taking place.
Dr. Renato Miotto Palo
As we age, some changes in our bodies and teeth may be unavoidable. So, at the very least, gleaning a more thorough understanding of your body’s anatomy (and how our oral health evolves as we get older) might help remind you that if you’re running into any of these teeth whitening challenges, you’re normal, and you’re not alone.
Genetics
Let’s start with how genetics affect the level of whiteness we’re able to achieve when we use a teeth whitening product or undergo teeth whitening treatments. Dr. Palo says, “The color of our teeth is influenced by internal structures, such as proteins in the dentin, which influence the shade of our teeth, and in combination with characteristics of the enamel, such as thickness and degree of translucency, which are individual to each person based on their genetics.”
Depiction of the outer layer of enamel, and the dentin layer beneath, which can vary in shade- from cream colored, to yellow, and which tends to darken with age. Also, thinner enamel, caused by genetics, lifestyle, or aging, can also change the color of the teeth, as the darker shade of dentin shines through.
Our teeth are made of internal dentin, which makes up the bulk of the tooth, and which lies directly underneath the enamel. Dentin, for most people, tends to range from a light yellow to a darker yellow color, and enamel—the dentin’s protective covering—serves as the outer layer of the tooth.
Enamel is also the material on which teeth whitening products work—if you’re born with thinner or more translucent enamel, or even a darker color of dentin beneath the enamel, the shade of white you can achieve may vary widely, regardless of age.
Lifestyle
The thickness and health of the enamel and how it affects teeth whitening outcomes also heavily underscores the vital importance of taking care of your enamel—avoid anything that could damage, erode, or weaken it.
Tooth shade can vary, depending on lifestyle habits, genetics, age, and things like enamel thickness, use of prescription medication, and hygiene.
While there are several things that can help preserve enamel, the biggest lifestyle change one can undergo is diet. More particularly, the practice of mindfulness and caution in the amount of acid we expose our enamel to through food and beverage. Things like coffee, wine, tea, and even highly pigmented foods like tomato sauces are not only highly acidic, but they also tend to have a staining effect on the teeth when consumed long term. Cigarettes and other tobacco containing products also tend to highly stain the teeth, making them more difficult to whiten. Foods containing a high sugar content also introduce acid to the mouth, resulting in decay and weakening of the enamel if not addressed by a dental professional.
Coffee, wine, tea, and other highly acidic foods and beverages can stain the enamel.
Another dangerous way to damage, erode, and weaken your tooth enamel is through the use of abrasive oral health products like extra gritty toothpaste, certain kinds of activated charcoal, and even the use of household “eraser” cleaning products, which went viral for being able to “lighten teeth.” In reality, they heavily abrade the surface of the enamel, producing a temporarily whiter result, but long-term, thinning or wearing the enamel away. This exposes the yellow dentin beneath, further subjecting the user to pain, decay, sensitivity, and permanent discoloration.
When looking for a toothpaste that will both remove surface stains but that is safe enough for daily use, look for a toothpaste with a medium amount of abrasion like Opalescence™ Whitening Toothpaste, featuring gentle silica beads to scrub off impurities and stains, while protecting the enamel, and can be used twice-per-day or more.
Another factor to take into consideration is the coarseness of your toothbrush. Dentists recommend using a soft-bristled manual or electric toothbrush, gently brushing the teeth in circles, and taking extra care around the gumline to avoid enamel damage and gum recession.
Additionally, flossing, visiting the dentist regularly for cleaning and fluoride treatments, and avoiding extra gritty and sticky foods can help keep enamel intact and healthy for a pain-free, healthy, white smile that lasts a lifetime.
Aging
Like genetics, aging plays a huge role in oral health. It also affects the results a person can achieve with teeth whitening treatments—be they at-home, or in-office—over time.
In fact, “Why can’t I get my teeth as white as I used to be able get them?” is one of the most frequent questions patients ask their dentists regarding teeth whitening.
Dentin, located beneath the enamel, often darkens with age, making the level of whiteness one can achieve more difficult as one ages.
Of aging and teeth whitening, Dr. Palo says, “Our cells mature as we age and as a result, the dentin becomes darker.” He continues, “At the same time, the tooth enamel becomes more translucent, and enamel can become thinner over time due to continued exposure to acid over the years. Also, a major addition to aging is the increased mineralization of the dentin, that combined with thinner enamel makes the teeth appear darker.”
However, this doesn’t mean one can’t still achieve a lighter shade of enamel by using safe, dentist-tested teeth whitening products like the Opalescence™ teeth whitening family: Opalescence™ PF, Opalescence Go™, and Opalescence™ Boost™ In-Office professional teeth whitening.
Sometimes, aging adults may also have crowns, bridges, or veneers that have darkened over time and that won’t respond to traditional teeth whitening. In this case, a dentist can replace and update those restorations with a whiter shade of composite, while whitening the teeth around the new restoration to match.
Whether it’s old dental work, thinning, or translucent enamel, it’s important to remember that just as other parts of our bodies change with age, our teeth do too, and they deserve our utmost care and protection.
More Factors to Consider:
Other factors one should consider when running into roadblocks with stubbornly stained or dark teeth include medications, trauma, and tooth injuries. Certain medications, such as tetracycline—whether used by the mother with a baby in-utero, or after birth—can cause difficult teeth staining and mottling on the baby’s developing dentition.
Tetracycline staining, as well as trauma, may best be treated, in terms of teeth whitening, in a clinical setting.
Trauma and tooth injuries can also permanently darken the tooth or teeth affected. However, a skilled dentist can address these issues and improve the look and color of the teeth with a professionally prescribed whitening protocol, implants, composite, composite veneers, or in some cases, porcelain veneers.
A Final Word
Looking to whiten your teeth safely? Are you having a hard time addressing stubborn tooth stains that won’t lighten even with teeth whitening? The best strategy to tackling and solving the problem is choosing a safe, dentist-formulated teeth whitening system. Or, consulting with your dentist to undergo professional teeth whitening or assess further dental work that will help improve your confidence in your smile!
Click here to learn more about Ultradent’s professional teeth whitening systems.