yellowing of teeth is mainly due to one of the following or a combination of these: 1) tartar or plaque deposits (soft yellowish deposits) on the teeth. 2) calculus deposits (calcified hard deposits) on the teeth. 3) fluorosis - internal discoloration of the teeth due to altered fluorine content in the drinking water. you have given an excellent description of the clinical condition of your oral cavity. from your history it is very clear that the yellowness of your teeth is due to plaque and calculus deposits. plaque as you have mentioned is yellowish and creamy. this gets partially removed with brushing. calculi are hard deposits either yellowish greenish or sometimes blackish in color. they are firmly attached to the teeth and do not go off with brushing or tooth powder. even the abrasiveness of the tooth powder cannot remove the calculi. during childhood due to improper brushing there are chances of plaque and calculus formation over the teeth. because children at this age tend to be playful and do not concentrate on oral hygiene. "tooth worms" as people say are nothing but bacteria that affect the teeth. these bacteria act on the teeth and cause demineralization of the teeth and lead to tooth decay and cavities. the lower incisors and canines are more prone to plaque and calculus deposition (v shaped deposition in accordance with the tooth morphology) due to inability of us to reach the inner sides of these teeth while brushing. at this age of yours these deposits may be due to: 1) improper brushing technique. 2) brushing only once a day. 3) malalignment of your teeth. 4) crowding of your teeth (due to inadequate spacing in between the teeth). 5) if you are having any prosthetic teeth (crown bridge removable appliances). 6) if you are undergoing orthodontic treatment (wire braces). dental scaling is the procedure that removes plaque and calculi. but it does not mean that these deposits will not come back again. continuous oral hygiene maintenance after scaling is mandatory to prevent recurrence of plaque and calculi. hence scaling is not a wastage of money it is an investment to prevent one's teeth and gums from infections and thereby increase the life of the teeth. so a permanent solution for your problem is to follow these steps to maintain oral hygiene: 1) brush with toothpaste and brush twice daily. the head of the toothbrush should be angulated in such a way that it reaches all the teeth and all the interior and hidden parts of the teeth. 2) use an antibacterial mouthwash only for the time period for which the dentist has prescribed. because long term use of mouthwash itself will cause staining of teeth. 3) rinse your mouth thoroughly soon after every meal. 4) in case you are wearing wire braces or prosthesis use the specific tooth brushes (orthodontic toothbrushes) to clean the teeth thoroughly well. 5) use interdental toothbrushes to clean the minute spaces in between the teeth. 6) visit a dentist once in every 6 months and get a scaling done if necessary. as your doctor has told regular use of colgate toothpaste is sufficient. sensodyne toothpaste is not needed for you since it is used for hypersensitive teeth. glodent toothpaste helps in stain removal and it can be used if extrinsic stains are present on the teeth. it does cause teeth whitening. regular use of mouthwash is not essential. you can use hexidine mouthwash for about two weeks and then stop it. bleaching is the procedure used to remove internal or intrinsic staining of the teeth which is not required for you. and finally pearl white color of the teeth indicate that they are unhealthy. teeth which are slightly yellow without any deposits on them are said to be healthy. hope this answer helps you. take care. consult a dentist online for further follow up --> <link>
my teeth are yellow. is scaling only a temporary process to clean the teeth?