I am 30 years old and I have bad teeth. I was not routinely taken to the dentist when I was younger and it has taken a toll on my teeth. I had all the cavities filled when I was 20 and have not had one since. My teeth are yellow and yesterday my dentist said I have gingivitis. I started to brush my teeth really hard (about 10-15 yrs ago) to try and whiten them and I think it may have made the problem worse (had a friend who told me scrubbing teeth makes them whiter). Is there anything I can do to help my teeth look pretty or am I stuck with ugly teeth forever?

OH, by the way, I do brush 2+ times a day, floss 1+ times per day and use Listerine... Help please!

Have you talked to your dentist about this? He would be best qualified to give advice.

There are several reasons your teeth could be yellow. Do you smoke? Drink lots of tea or coffee? Do you use lots of fluoride? Do you use fluoride after you use a whitening product? Many people don't realize this, but fluoride in large amounts will yellow/brown the teeth; if you use fluoride after whitening, the yellow/brown effect is amplified.

Some people simply have bad teeth. You may just have lots of the nasty bacteria in your mouth which causes decay and other oral problems. The best thing for you to do is to voice your concerns to your dentist and see what he/she suggests. There may be special mouthwashes or toothpastes you can use. Also, make sure you are brushing and flossing properly; many people don't realize they are doing it wrong.

Good luck!

Gingivitis has nothing to do with your teeth, it has everything to do with your gums. You have an infection in them and should have your teeth professionally cleaned by a dental hygienist.

Your teeth might just be naturally yellowish. Are you a red head by chance? Red heads tend to have yellower teeth.

Like jillianleab said, your dietary habits can make your teeth yellow as can heavy smoking.

Stannous fluoride can cause your teeth to discolour but is often more of a brown yellow colour.

If you had fillings placed in your front teeth 10 years ago, the actual fillings could be picking up the stain since they are more porous than the enamel.

Have your teeth professionally cleaned and discuss whitening options with your dental hygienist/dentist.

Use bleaching and whitening toothpaste, DON'T scrub brush (it will make your gums recede) and avoid tea, coffee, and red wine... IF you have white fillings in the front and they are discolored, then they will have to be replaced or covered with crowns/veneers (the bleach/toothpaste won't change their color). If you have severe fluoride/tetracycline (an antibiotic) staining, then you are pretty much out of luck unless you put $10 000 into veneers/crowns

Thanks for all the replies. I did go to the dentist. That is how I found out I have the gingivitis. My dentist just told me to do what I am doing and it should be better by my next appointment. I now go to the dentist like clockwork ~ every 6 months. I had my teeth cleaned while I was there. He said he is not a big fan of teeth whitening. That teeth are not supposed to be white and even his teeth are not white. There were tons of pamphlets around the office but none of them on whitening. I didn't push the issue. My cavaties are all in the back of my mouth. None in the front. They are all the silver filling. I have never tried anything whitening more than toothpaste. I have always been too scared to. So I have never used bleach on my teeth at all.

It scared me when I did a search for gingivitis. Some of the procedures for it don't sound fun. But from my research gums bleed when brushing when you have gingivitis but mine never do. I never have bleeding gums. The only time I remember bleeding gums is when I was in early pregnancy. But they stopped after a few weeks...

I just get jealous of others who have pretty smiles. I think it is in my genes to have ugly teeth. Both of my parents had ugly teeth, my sister has ugly teeth (some of which goes back to lack of care... ). I don't smoke, never have, I do drink coffee and tea though. I just wish this could have been avoided when I was younger but my parents didn't have the money and we didn't have insurance.

Well try the whitening toothpaste, that is a start (crest makes a good one)

You could always ask your dentist about placing crowns or veneers on your teeth to brighten them up and fix their "ugliness".

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Originally Posted by boysareboys

I am 30 years old and I have bad teeth. I was not routinely taken to the dentist when I was younger and it has taken a toll on my teeth. I had all the cavities filled when I was 20 and have not had one since. My teeth are yellow in color and yesterday my dentist said I have gingivitis. I started to brush my teeth really hard (about 10-15 yrs ago) to try and whiten them and I think it may have made the problem worse (had a friend who told me scrubbing teeth makes them whiter). Is there anything I can do to help my teeth look pretty or am I stuck with ugly teeth forever??

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I had discolored teeth as long as I could remember. A few years ago, I started using Listerine Whitening Strips along with a whitening toothpaste (Crest with scope) and a Listerine Advanced whitening pre-brush rinse (especially after drinking coffee). At my last dental check up, the assistant and the dentist wanted to know how I got my teeth so white. I left there smiling at EVERYONE! AND I love to smile in pictures now. Let me know if this works.

As far as the gingivitis, I am not sure how to cure that, your dentist should be able to help you there.