Most people are troubled when their teeth become stained and discolored. However, there is another way the color of your teeth can change that's upsetting: they can become translucent! If you've noticed that your teeth are starting to become slightly see-through or transparent, this guide will explain why it's happening, what you can do about it, and how to prevent it from worsening.

Why Your Teeth Are Becoming Translucent

When your teeth become discolored from food and drinks, what's actually happening is that your tooth enamel is becoming stained. However, if your teeth are becoming translucent, this is due to your enamel becoming thinner.

Tooth enamel can be worn away by acidic beverages, excessive brushing, biting your nails, or a wide variety of other things. Your dentist may be able to pinpoint the cause of your thinning enamel by examining your teeth.

It's important to find the cause, because thinning enamel can not only make your teeth look oddly transparent, but it can increase your risk of dental decay. Even if you're not eating foods that stain teeth, it can make it easier to see the dentin of your teeth, making them appear more yellow.

What You Can Do About It

Unfortunately, once dental enamel is destroyed, your body can't naturally replace it. However, dentists have a variety of ways at their disposal to make your teeth look normal again.

Whitening your teeth may be one option to getting rid of the transparency of your teeth. You could also choose to have veneers placed over the front of your teeth. Veneers are thin, small ceramic or resin material that cover the very front of your teeth, giving them the appearance of healthy, white-looking teeth. Veneers don't take long to install, and are fairly inexpensive in comparison to crowns. 

How to Prevent Your Enamel From Thinning Further

Whatever method you choose to make your teeth look better, make sure to avoid behaviors that can break down your tooth enamel afterwards, like drinking coffee or grinding your teeth. Additionally, using an enamel-protecting toothpaste is a great idea, as it can help to strengthen your enamel and prevent it from breaking down again.

Having your teeth become transparent can be weird and embarrassing, and once the enamel has thinned to that extent, it's usually too late to repair the damage on your own. Thankfully, with a little cosmetic dental work, your teeth can look normal once again.