Everyone wants a nice smile. A person's teeth are one of the first things that get noticed. Just like adults, children may become embarrassed and self-conscious by yellow or discolored teeth. The American Dental Association notes that no matter how pretty a smile, three out of four people think that yellow teeth ruin the effect.
Types
Dental staining is classified as being either external or internal, according to the Pediatric Dental Health website of Dr. Daniel Ravel. The discoloration may also be referred to as extrinsic, for the outer layer or enamel, or intrinsic, which is the dentin and is inside the tooth. The classification is the same for children and adults.
Extrinsic Staining
The outer layer of a child's tooth becomes discolored by staining, usually from beverages, foods or some medications. Yellow staining is caused by plaque on the teeth or consuming berries, food dyes, sodas and teas. Staining may be caused by too much fluoride in drinking water, called fluorosis, but that discoloration is usually brown or gray.
Intrinsic Discoloration
Intrinsic discoloration is divided into two classifications: superficial and deep internal. Superficial is minor color change inside the tooth and shows up as yellowing or other discoloration in the dentin. This is below the enamel of the tooth, but not deep inside. Some people have thicker enamel that hides discoloring of the dentin, but if the enamel is thinner, the inner layer may make a child's teeth appear more yellow.
Deep Internal Discoloration
Internal discoloration of teeth is usually a result of trauma, infection, root canal, heredity, medication such as tetracycline and in rare cases, poor diet or disease, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, or AAPD.
Considerations
The best way to determine the cause of yellow teeth is to have a dentist examine the child's teeth. The AAPD recommends that children have a dental check-up at least twice a year; however, if the child has increased risk for problems or poor hygiene, he may need to go more often.
