50 year old teeth should look slightly darker or have a yellower shade, minor flattening or wear on the edges and even slight gum recession.
Normal signs of aging in teeth include color changes, wear and tear and gum recession.
As you age, teeth naturally darken over time and the hard outer layer which is known as the tooth enamel thins out, which allows the naturally yellow inner layer called dentin to show through more clearly.
And years of eating and drinking dark foods add surface stains to your teeth as well.
The sharp edges and tiny ridges on your front teeth also smooth down over time from decades of chewing and occasional teeth grinding and your teeth might even look slightly shorter or more uneven.
And gums may even pull back slightly and expose a bit more of the surface of the tooth or the root, which can make your teeth look longer.
And older fillings, crows or bonding that you may have had might even show minor staining, shadowing, or slight edges where they meet the natural tooth.
What is not normal as your teeth ages are any severe tooth pain, loose teeth or sudden and heavy sensitivity, bleeding or swollen gums, which point to gum disease also known as periodontitis and large chips, cracks or rapid tooth decay along your gumline.
Teeth can be healthy but not white as it is normal to not have perfectly white teeth and having perfectly white teeth is not always a sign of healthy teeth.
It's sometimes unhealthy to have perfectly white teeth but not always unhealthy to have perfectly white teeth.
It's not always bad if your teeth are pure white, although having teeth with a pure, unnaturally bright white shade is rarely natural.
Healthy teeth are actually normally an off white, light gray or even slightly yellowish color because the hard outer tooth enamel is also somewhat translucent, which allows the naturally yellow inner layer also known as "dentin" to show through.
Everyone does have a unique natural tooth color that is determined by genetics and thickens of the tooth enamel.
Having off white or even slightly yellow teeth are completely healthy.
The illusion of white teeth, where you often seek sparkling white teeth in media are often a result of cosmetic bleaching, veneers or even digital editing and not standard human biology.
A person with bright white teeth may still have hidden gum disease, cavities or even receding gums.
And conversely, having teeth that are slightly stained or yellow can be structurally very strong and healthy teeth.
There are also risks involved when forcing pure whiteness on your teeth which include tooth enamel wear, tooth sensitivity, and some temporary pain or lasting sensitivity from over the counter whitening.
Achieving a blindingly white shade of teeth often requires use of aggressive chemical bleaching or abrasive products.
And overusing teeth whitening gels or teeth whitening strips can damage the microscopic structure of the tooth enamel, which leads to sharp tooth sensitivity and even irritated gums.
So if your teeth are not pure white they are not always unhealthy and having pure white teeth can be unhealthy in some cases.
Perfect teeth whiteness does not equal perfect tooth health as teeth naturally come in a range of natural shades that is very normal.