You know you can't judge a book by its cover, and the same can be said for the health of your teeth. While some problems can easily be seen with the naked eye, other things that might look like issues could be perfectly normal. While the color of your teeth is not always related to their physical health, it may take a toll on your confidence to look in your mouth and not see "pearly whites". If you are unhappy with the appearance of your smile, there are some steps you can take to change it.

6 Reasons Why Your Teeth Aren't White

Your teeth change color due to staining, but the staining can come from multiple places. Tooth stains can be either extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic stains are caused by your enamel absorbing pigments from food and drink, while intrinsic stains are caused by stains on your dentin, the layer under your enamel. Discoloration of your teeth as you age is natural, but it can be accelerated by some lifestyle habits. If you're looking to brighten up your smile, here are six things you should consider:

1. Nutrition - Avoid darkly colored food and drink like coffee, wine, and berries. Acidic foods also contribute to the staining of your teeth by opening pores in the surface of your tooth.
2. Smoking - Cigarette tar can stain your enamel. Smoking also makes you more prone to oral disease and dental implant failure.
3. Injury - Impact to adult teeth can decrease or interrupt the blood flow or even cause nerve death.
4. Antibiotics - Some antibiotics, antihistamines, and mood stabilizers stain teeth or interrupt enamel formation.
5. Medical Conditions - Similar to the effects of various antibiotics, conditions or diseases that affect dentin or enamel formation can stain teeth.
6. Genetics - Teeth naturally come in a range of shades, some with hints of yellow or gray.