Teeth are normally white or yellowish-white. Baby teeth tend to be whiter than their adult successors. Discoloration of the teeth can affect just one tooth, some teeth or even all of the teeth in the mouth, depending on the cause. Determining the cause and working with your child's dentist can help prevent further discoloration.
Causes of Discoloration
Hereditary diseases of the tooth structure, certain metabolic conditions that affect protein or calcium levels and some specific antibiotics can all cause dark teeth in children. Problems at birth like severe jaundice can also be a cause.
Environmental factors that cause tooth discoloration include trauma to a tooth, which results in the vital tissue inside to die out and make the entire tooth discolored -- from gray to brown. In addition, supplements like iron can cause brown stains on the outside of a baby's teeth. If taken before the child is 8 years old, antibiotics like tetracycline can cause yellow to gray discoloration of all the teeth that were in the developing stage when the medication was ingested. This is also true with too much fluoride intake, which can cause white or brown spots or even pitting of the surface of the teeth.
Poor oral hygiene can cause excessive plaque and tartar buildup and discolor teeth. Tooth decay also appears as a discoloration, ranging from brown to black, in the early stages before cavities are fully apparent.
Inherited disorders like amelogenesis or dentinogenesis imperfecta can affect the tooth structure itself and cause varying degrees of discoloration. Very high fever during tooth
development can also be a cause.
What You Can Do at Home
Maintaining good oral hygiene is the first step to a healthy smile. Make sure to brush and floss your child's teeth regularly after each meal. Allow your child to have fruit juices and sugary foods only very occasionally, and remember to brush your child's teeth right after.
If you notice that the teeth are discolored despite good home care, speak with your pediatric or general dentist. Find out if your local water supply is fluoridated or not and to what extent, so you can give this information to your dentist. Make a note of all major illnesses your child has had prior to the visit as well.
What the Dentist Might Do
If your child's teeth appear to be discolored and you cannot pinpoint a cause, speak with your dentist. The American Dental Association recommends that a child be seen by a dentist around the time his first tooth erupts or at least by his first birthday. This will aid the dentist in catching any of these conditions early, even those that you might not have noticed yet. It is also a good time for the dentist to clean your child's teeth, place sealants on the back teeth to prevent decay, provide fluoride treatment when required and restore teeth that are already decayed. X-rays may have to be taken in order for your dentist to accurately diagnose and treat the problem.
What Next?
Further testing by your dentist may or may not be required. Make regular follow-up dental visits as recommended by your dentist. If the discoloration affects the entire structure of the teeth or esthetics are a big concern, your dentist might give you several cosmetic options, some of which may have to wait until your child is a little older.
