Nice white teeth
White-looking teeth depend on enamel, dentine, stains, cleaning and the whitening method chosen after a dental examination.
What determines whether your teeth look naturally white?
White-looking teeth depend on enamel, dentine, stains, cleaning and the whitening method chosen after a dental examination.
Why can enamel and dentine make teeth look different shades?
Tooth colour comes from translucent enamel over naturally darker dentine. Surface stains from foods, drinks or tobacco differ from internal colour changes caused by ageing, trauma or some medicines.
What should you check before choosing tooth whitening?
Have decay, leaking restorations and gum inflammation assessed before whitening. A dentist may use peroxide gel with a custom tray or in-office application; whitening does not change the colour of fillings or crowns.
When should tooth discolouration be examined by a dentist?
Seek an examination for one dark tooth, pain, sensitivity, enamel defects or a colour change after injury. These findings may need diagnosis before cosmetic treatment.
What should you ask before whitening discoloured teeth?
Ask whether the discolouration is surface or internal, whether existing restorations will mismatch, which method suits your teeth and how sensitivity will be managed.
Frequently asked questions
Can toothpaste whiten teeth?
Whitening toothpaste can help remove some surface stain but does not change the natural colour of dentine.
Why are my teeth sensitive after whitening?
Peroxide can temporarily affect fluid movement through dentine and stimulate the tooth nerve.
Who wrote this page
This library is published by Dental Nation, a licensed dental group practising in the United Arab Emirates. Pages are written and overseen by the same clinical team that treats patients in our clinics, and are held to a fixed editorial standard for safety and accuracy.
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and cannot replace an examination. Anything urgent — facial swelling, trauma, uncontrolled bleeding or severe pain — needs a dentist or emergency care now.