Why are my teeth yellow?

• Very few people have really white teeth. If your teeth are yellowish, it does not necessarily mean that your teeth are weak or unhealthy.
• The bulk of teeth is formed by dentine which is yellowish in colour. This colour can be seen through the relatively translucent enamel.
• Teeth darken with a person's age. This is thought to be due to changes in the structure of the enamel and an increased thickness of the underlying dentine.

My tooth looks grayish & discoloured. What can be done?

• If the discolouration is due to defective enamel or dentine it could be masked by a layer of tooth-coloured filling or a veneer or crown of porcelain.
• If the discolouration is due to decay, an old discoloured filling, or the tooth being dead, then the underlying cause needs to be treated first. For example, in the case of a dead tooth, root canal treatment may need to be done first.