There are various reasons behind stained, yellowing teeth, but if you use tobacco products in the traditional way, you probably need to accept that smoking cigarettes is the chief culprit for your gnarly gnashers.
Nicotine, the addictive chemical found in tobacco, is actually the most common cause of teeth discolouration, trumping all other reasons such as poor dental hygiene and consumption of staining foods and beverages.
All hope is not lost, however, as there are plenty of professional, over-the-counter, and at-home treatments available that can help brighten your smile. Through this blog post, we shall examine a few.
Is Nicotine Really That Bad for Teeth Yellowing?
Using any tobacco product can lead to stained teeth, although traditional smoking is by far the worst offender. With prolonged use, they can become darker or even brown. If you want to avoid teeth yellowing, at the risk of stating the obvious, your best bet really is to quit smoking.
As you probably know, stained teeth aren’t the only oral concern with tobacco smoking. Your gums can also suffer in quite a big way, as smoking weakens your immune system, making it harder to fight off infections. Smokers are twice as likely to develop gum disease compared to non-smokers, and if you continue smoking while dealing with gum issues, healing becomes more difficult.
That’s without even mentioning the many other diseases, illnesses, and afflictions that are associated with smoking, such as a wide range of cancers, heart disease, and lung issues. But that’s a matter for another blog post. For now, let’s stick with the topic at hand: the question of how to remove nicotine stains from teeth.
How to Remove Nicotine Stains From Teeth – Effective Treatments
Several methods can help remove nicotine stains from your teeth, from effective modern-day solutions to old-fashioned remedies that previous generations would swear by. Let’s take a look.
Professional Whitening
Visiting a dentist for professional whitening is arguably the most effective way to remove nicotine stains, as they use advanced treatments like laser whitening or custom-fitted trays with high-concentration bleach. They can be a little uncomfortable, but that’s the price you must pay for improved teeth, unfortunately (apart from the literal price of dental treatment, which is a pretty penny these days).
Good dentists can dramatically lighten your teeth in just one session, and while it’s more costly than other options, the results are immediate and long-lasting. Your dentist can also provide guidance on maintaining your new, brighter smile.
Given the high cost of smoking these days – coupled with the price of increasingly expensive dental treatments – it really is far better for your health and your pocket if you simply quit smoking, but then you know that already.
Over-the-Counter Products
Over-the-counter products like whitening strips, toothpaste, and rinses are good options for lightening nicotine stains. In all honesty, these products have always been questionable in previous years, often having very little impact on yellow teeth. They have come a long way of late, however, and really do help.
Whitening strips are thin, flexible plastic strips coated with a peroxide-based whitening gel. They are applied to teeth for a short period each day and gradually lighten stains over a few weeks.
In a similar vein, whitening toothpaste contains mild abrasives and additional polishing agents that help remove surface stains, while whitening rinses can be used as a daily mouthwash to help maintain your results.
At-Home Remedies
Several at-home remedies can help reduce nicotine stains for those who prefer natural, established methods.
A mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide creates a powerful cleaning paste that can be used to brush your teeth. This combination helps to break down stains and whiten teeth. Another method, believe it or not, is ‘oil pulling’ with coconut oil, which involves swishing the oil in your mouth for about 15-20 minutes.
This practice is a great option as it also promotes overall oral health. Regular use of these remedies can lead to noticeable improvements over time, not just with your teeth but with maintaining fresh, crispy breath.
How to Remove Vape Stains from Teeth
Vaping can also stain your teeth, though not as severely as smoking traditional cigarettes. Either way, with the rise in popularity of vaping in recent years, there has been an increase in yellow teeth owing to the habit.
So, how to remove vape stains from your teeth? Essentially, the solutions are almost identical to yellow teeth caused by tobacco:
- Regular Brushing: Brush your teeth twice a day, preferably with a whitening toothpaste. Obvious? Yes. Does everyone brush their teeth twice daily? Definitely not.
- Dental Cleanings: Regular visits to the dentist for cleanings can help maintain a brighter smile. You might be surprised how frequently people neglect this, but in all honesty, nothing quite beats a good polish.
- Avoid Staining Foods and Drinks: Limit your intake of coffee, tea, and red wine, which can cause staining from vaping. Better still, brush your teeth after every cup. Better still again, abstain from drinking tea – although any Brits reading this blog post will be horrified at such a monstrous suggestion.
Bottom Line
Maintaining good oral hygiene should be standard practice for everyone, but if you smoke, even more so. Especially if you want to remove nicotine stains from your teeth.
Ideally, smokers usually need to brush their teeth about twice as often as nonsmokers. Fortunately, with professional treatments, DIY products, and home remedies, you can gradually improve the look of your teeth and achieve a brighter smile over time, even if you neglect brushing.
A Better Solution
Of course, the ideal scenario to avoid yellow teeth is simply not to smoke traditional tobacco products or nicotine vapes in the first place.
But if the prospect of quitting smoking is not an option for you at the moment, we are pleased to announce there is a much better way to enjoy the experience of smoking while greatly reducing teeth yellowing.
Our genius little TEO device works by heating (and not burning) a special blend of nicotine and cellulose called NEAFS sticks. By indulging in this wonderful product, you are still getting your nicotine – and will enjoy the feeling of smoking – but have now taken several thousand gruesome chemicals, tar, and smoke from the equation. Your wallet will thank you, too.
Make the Jump Today
If you are reading this as a long-suffering cigarette smoker who is unable to kick the habit, using NEAFS sticks with a TEO device will help you immensely. They taste amazing, cost a fraction of the price of cigarettes, and won’t stain your teeth.
Make the jump today and say goodbye to smoking with NEAFS. Check out our popular starter bundles and join the growing army of people who have whiter teeth and better health with NEAFS!
