What should I check before whitening and treatment to fix yellowish discolored teeth?

White, well-groomed teeth also play an important role in the first impression when laughing or speaking. Not only does it have a bright impression, but it also has a clean and reliable image, so many people go to the dentist to improve their yellowish colored teeth. In addition, clean and well-maintained teeth increase confidence in front of others and play a positive role in important moments. In this way, teeth whitening goes beyond simple beauty and health care to help enhance aesthetics and confidence.

Teeth whitening is a procedure or treatment that removes pigments from teeth or makes the color of one's teeth brighter. There are various causes of tooth staining, and they are caused by eating problems, lifestyle, or specific diseases. In terms of eating habits, frequent consumption of foods high in pigments, such as coffee, wine, and cola, can easily cause discoloration, and the more often you smoke, the more it can affect tooth coloring. Also, irregular oral care can be a reason.

Therefore, if you are concerned about tooth discoloration, it is recommended that you visit an appropriate institution to confirm the cause of tooth coloring and then proceed with customized care. If teeth whitening is carried out at a hospital, it will be carried out after diagnosing whether the current state of your teeth is a tooth that can be whitened. After that, set the desired whitening goal and receive the treatment. If you have cavities or gum disease during this process, proper treatment must come first to reduce the possibility of future inflammation or pain.

Also, teeth whitening progresses differently depending on the individual's dental condition, and positive results can be obtained with just 1 session, but if the natural condition is heavily pigmented, 2 to 3 additional treatments may be required. The effects of teeth whitening also vary from person to person, but the average effect lasts from 6 months to 1 year. However, the effects may decrease quickly due to frequent consumption of foods with lots of pigments on a regular basis, smoking, etc.

Byeon Sang-kyun, CEO of LeBlanc Dental Clinic, said, “Yellow-colored teeth can also be seen as a loophole in self-care, so it's also something that many people worry about. Due to this influence, demand for teeth whitening has increased recently, and some people think of it as such a simple procedure. It can be felt as a simple procedure compared to tooth decay or implant treatment, but since teeth whitening is also a type of dental care procedure, it must be based on a specific diagnosis of an individual's oral condition.”

He added, “If teeth whitening is carried out while the condition of the teeth is poor, it may cause side effects, so it is best to consult with a dental specialist before proceeding.”

[Medical Today = Reporter Seong-woo]