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65 KEEPInG THAT WHITE SHInE on youR TEETH Permanent teeth, which emerge between ages 6 and 13, usually have a white shade when they first appear in the oral cavity. How - ever, the shade yellows with age due to stain- ing and wearing of the outer enamel surface that comprises the tooth’s outer shell. Certain kinds of food or beverages, such as coffee, wine or cigarettes, are the main causes of such stains. Even though prop- er tooth brushing and cleansing help to maintain that white tooth shade, some discoloration is in- evitable with age. In some cases, if the teeth under- go a traumatic injury, dark discoloration occurs, even some years later. If you are not happy with the color in your teeth, you should visit a dental office and evaluate the state and cause of the discoloration. Even though tooth bleaching will meet your needs in many cases, other treatment options can also be considered. Bleaching is a very conservative method for treating discoloration without any preparation. There are two types of bleaching methods: vital tooth bleaching and non-vital tooth bleaching. The non-vital method is for teeth discolored after a traumatic injury. In this case, a proper root canal treat- ment should be done before bleaching. After the root canal treatment, a bleaching agent is placed in the pulp chamber, and the discolored tooth whitens over time. In the vital bleaching procedure, the shade can be whitened with the use of a special mouth guard and bleaching gels. You can usually make your teeth brighter over the course of two weeks to two months, but you can also take more rapid steps with the help of a special light unit. In the past, most pa- tients for tooth bleaching were youths. However, recently, older men and women seeking a younger and lively image visit our clinic fre - quently. Some years after your initial bleaching treat- ment, a re-touchup may be needed. Tooth brushing and rinsing shortly after eating or drinking, as well as frequent tooth cleans- ing, are recommended to reduce tooth discol- oration. Sung-Ho Park, DDS, MSD, Ph.D. Professor Dept. of Conservative Dentistry, Yonsei University For further dentistry information or reservations, please call Ms. Aeri Jo, the English coordinator at Yonsei University Dental Hospital. +82 2 2228-8998 +82 2 363 0396 aerijo@yuhs.ac 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul www.yuhs.or.kr/ en/hospitals/dent_ hospital/Conserv_ dentist/Intro COLUMN • YonSEI UnIVERSItY DEntAL HoSPItAL