Have you recently noticed that your teeth at the front of your mouth, i.e. the teeth in the smile zone, are whiter than the teeth at the sides? Although you are probably the only one who notices it, you may still be wondering what is causing this strange difference in the whiteness of your teeth.
First and foremost, you'll be pleased to know that this phenomenon is nothing to worry about, nor is it a mystery to dentists. There are several easily explainable reasons for your front teeth being whiter than the rest. Fortunately, this issue is also easy to correct:
Your Brushing May be to Blame
It is normal for people to brush their front teeth more vigorously than the rest of their teeth. This is only natural as these are the teeth that are most on display as we go about our day to day lives.
Some Teeth are Lighter than Others
According to research, your upper canine teeth, which incidentally are the first of what you could call your "side teeth", are yellower than the rest of your teeth. Your upper central incisors are also lighter in shade than the rest of the incisors. The difference in the shade then could be natural. However, this doesn't explain why your bicuspids might be yellower than those teeth at the front.
The Difference May be Due to Enamel Thickness
Some teeth have thicker enamel than others, for example, your lower central incisors have the least enamel of all your teeth. Teeth that have less enamel may be yellower than the rest as dentin, which is the softer, more porous layer underneath the enamel, is yellow and so may be more visible. Differences in enamel thickness may also be due to brushing.
Whitening May Also be to Blame
If you have previously used whitening strips on your teeth, you may have inadvertently focused more on your front teeth than those at the sides, leading to the difference in shade.
Further whitening can correct this problem.
Whiten the Sides until they Match
Speak to your dentist about using whitening gel to whiten those teeth at the sides of your mouth in order to bring them closer in shade to those at the front. Once your side teeth are of a comparable shade, you can then whiten them all to achieve a more uniform shade from front to side.
If any of your teeth differ in shade from the rest of your teeth, contact your dentist and explain the problem. By using custom whitening trays and whitening gel, the shade discrepancy can quickly be corrected.
