Discoloration of teeth in babies and toddlers can exist worrisome for parents. However, it is a common trouble and can exist cured if identified early on. The teeth may get off-white, grey, yellow, or chocolate-brown for various reasons. For example, oral hygiene, certain medications, or physical weather can cause teeth discoloration, and resolving the underlying causes may revert the color changes in some babies.

Read on to learn more about the causes, prevention, and treatment of teeth discoloration in babies and toddlers.

What Causes Tooth Discoloration In Babies And Toddlers?

The reasons might exist congenital, medical, or lifestyle-induced. The following are some of the possible reasons for discoloration and staining of teeth.

  1. Improper brushing: Improper brushing is i of the primary reasons for several dental problems. Information technology leads to plaque accumulation and cavity formation. It likewise increases the bacterial count in the oral cavity, which might lead to dental staining (i).
  1. Sugary juices: Consumption of excessive carbohydrate increases the chances of tooth decay. Rust-covered teeth can develop grayness or black discoloration. Dipping pacifiers in sugary syrup or honey also increases the microbial count, thus increasing the likelihood of teeth discoloration (2).
  1. Medicines: Certain drugs tin can cause discoloration of teeth. Some drugs, such as tetracycline, may take the gamble of discoloring the baby's teeth if the mother has them during pregnancy. Tetracycline was observed to cause brownish discoloration of the baby's teeth fifty-fifty when the little one was not administered the drug (3). Babies who take atomic number 26 supplements also exhibit blackish discoloration on teeth (4). Glibenclamide (Glyburide) medicine that is used for the treatment of permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus may likewise crusade dark-brown spots on teeth (5).
  1. Trauma: An injury or a fall can damage the fretfulness and the blood supply to a tooth. Information technology makes the molar not-vital. Over time, the molar may start changing color from red to dark-brown (6).
  1. Developmental defects: Congenital teeth defects can cause discoloration of teeth. Inherited condition amelogenesis imperfecta, also known as enamel hypoplasia, is one such condition (vii). It is characterized past pits, fissures, deep grooves, and xanthous or dark-brown spots on the surface of the teeth.
  1. Dietary reasons: Nutrient with dumbo colors like raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, beetroot, grapes, etc., might cause discoloration of teeth due to high levels of pigmentation (8)
  1. Jaundice: Jaundice causes increased bilirubin concentration in the claret. This condition is called hyperbilirubinemia, which can cause an accumulation of bilirubin in the various tissues of the trunk. When bilirubin levels are elevated for several weeks, information technology may deposit on the teeth leading to green color. This kind of discoloration is often permanent as it causes permanent changes in the color of the enamel and dentin of the teeth (9).

What Are The Symptoms Of Tooth Discoloration And Staining?

The stains can be broadly categorized into ii types:

  • Extrinsic stains: The stains appear due to the action of external factors such every bit food, drinks, medicines, bacteria, etc. It is relatively easy to get rid of these stains. They affect the tooth's peak layer, which is chosen the enamel.
  • Intrinsic stains: They occur when the staining is across the enamel, in the deeper layers of a tooth. This discoloration tin happen due to multiple reasons, including infection and congenital stain. These stains are difficult to remove.

Based on the relevant evidence, it is said that tooth discoloration tin can be establish in nine different color spectrums: black, brown, blue, green, grayness, orangish, pink, cherry-red, and yellow. Each color might represent a different cause (10).

Colors of stain

Several predisposing factors could cause discoloration of the teeth. Each stain color could be a result of individual factors or conditions.

  1. Yellowish or orange color stains: This kind of stain commonly appears when the plaque that is lining the gums absorbs color from the food or drinks that the infant is consuming. Proper brushing can get rid of them. Avoid giving food and drinks with a lot of added food colors. If you can't manage the stains by yourself, seek the advice of a dentist.
  1. Black stains or dark stains: These are the nigh commonly seen stains in babies (eleven). If your infant takes iron supplements, so they might likely develop black stains. Black stains might also appear due to necrosis of tooth's pulp, in the case of a fall or an injury. Cheque with your baby'south dentist if they can scrub upwardly and remove the stains.
  1. White stains or mottled brown patches: Such discoloration might be a sign of fluorosis (12). It might happen if the toddler is using loftier quantity of fluoridated toothpaste or ingesting fluoridated toothpaste. It may even occur when drinking water has as well much fluoride. Use toothpaste with depression fluoride concentration for your baby until he/she learns to spit and non consume. You lot may consider alternative water sources if the drinking water in your area has high levels of fluoride.

If the teeth discoloration is due to a certain food that the infant or toddler ate (similar beetroot or berries), then it will be temporary. However, if the discoloration seems deep and you suspect a problem, then see a dentist.

Handling For Tooth Discoloration

The over-the-counter teeth bleaching agents are not suitable for babies and toddlers. The decision to create a treatment plan should exist left to the dentist, who can apply a combination of handling methods (13).

  • For teeth with minor yellowish stains, your dentist may advise y'all brush your toddler'south teeth with adult toothpaste.
  • Adding baking soda to the toothpaste may aid reduce the stains.
  • In some cases of extrinsic stains, the dentist may recommend professional cleaning and polishing of teeth.
  • In some cases, when the teeth are discolored to the point of beingness aesthetically unpleasant, then the dentist may consider using medically-canonical bleach.
  • When the teeth are broken or appear kleptomaniacal due to the damage caused by cavities, fluorosis, or weak enamel, your dentist might recommend putting tooth-colored crowns for your toddler.
  • In some cases, the dentist might exercise microabrasion on the surface of teeth to get rid of the stains. Microabrasion is the removal of the elevation layer of teeth by a few millimeters.
  • The dentist may utilise a pumice mixture to remove the stains on the surface of teeth for your toddlers.

Removal of stains and discoloration should simply be done by a dentist.

How To Prevent Discoloration Of Teeth?

Discoloration of teeth in babies and toddlers tin can exist avoided past following some good practices. Endeavour and include these changes in your baby and toddler'south daily routine (fourteen) (15).

  • Brush your baby or toddler'due south teeth twice a twenty-four hours. Older toddlers can be encouraged to brush their teeth themselves under the supervision of a parent. Speak to your dentist to learn the correct techniques of cleaning your baby'south teeth.
  • Clean the gums and mouth using a clean gauze fifty-fifty before the teeth erupt.
  • Practice non give a baby or a toddler sugary juices and sodas. Do not use pacifiers dipped in honey or sweet liquids.
  • Dental check-ups for babies and toddlers are as important as they are for adults. Start scheduling dental check-ups with your dentist every six months as the first teeth erupt.
  • If you discover atomic number 26 supplements causing staining on teeth, make a habit of cleaning upwards the oral cavity by wiping, brushing or rinsing immediately after giving the supplement. This will forestall the stain from setting onto the teeth.
  • Do not give milk bottles while sleeping at night. Information technology might be the main reason for early childhood caries. The presence of milk and saccharide makes the environment of the oral cavity ideal for bacterial growth.
  • Use toothpaste with low fluoride content until the baby learns how to spit information technology out.

Regularly monitoring your baby or toddler's rima oris volition keep you updated well-nigh any major or pocket-size change. Do not let the discoloration stress y'all out. Discuss the problem with your babe'due south dentist. Most of the times, the discoloration can be corrected when diagnosed early.

Practise you take any tips to avert discoloration of teeth? Let us know about them in the comment section below.

References:

MomJunction's manufactures are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You tin learn more virtually the authenticity of the information we nowadays in our editorial policy.

1. Bussell RM and Deery C, Case report: Blue chromogenic dental staining in child with Due west syndrome.; European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry: Official Journal Of the European University of Paediatric Dentistry.
2. Recommendations for the employ of pacifiers; Paediatrics Kid Wellness.
3. Vijayasree Vennila et al.; Tetracycline-Induced Discoloration of Deciduous Teeth: Case Serial; Journal of International Oral Wellness International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry.
4. Sharat Chandra Pani et al,; Extrinsic molar staining potentia5 of high dose and sustained release iron syrups on primary teeth; BMC Oral Wellness.
five. Tooth discoloration in patients with neonatal diabetes afterwards transfer onto glibenclamide: a previously unreported side effect; American Diabetes Association.
6. Luca Casula et al., Does post-traumatic transient discoloration betoken a expert prognosis? Case report with two years of follow-up; International Journal of Applied Dental Sciences.
7. Amelogenesis imperfecta; U.S. National Library Of Medicine.
viii. What causes discolored teeth and is there any way to cure or prevent staining?; TuftsNow.
nine. Gabriel S. Barberio, Green Teeth Related to Bilirubin Levels; Acta Stomatologica Croatica
10. Colors in molar discoloration: A new nomenclature and literature review;  Enquiry Gate.
11. Paredes Gallardo and Paredes Cencillo C., Blackness stain: a common problem in pediatrics; Anales De Pediatría ( Barcelona, Kingdom of spain, 2003)
12. Ene Indermitte et al., Exposure to Loftier Fluoride Drinking Water and Take a chance of Dental Fluorosis in Estonia; International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health.
xiii. Faiez Due north. Hattab et al., Dental Discoloration: An Overview; Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry.
xiv. O Olatosi and EO Sote, Association Of Early Childhood Caries With Breastfeeding And Bottle Feeding In Southwestern Nigerian Children Of Preschool Age; Journal of West African College of Surgeons.
15. Vaishnavi Bhaskar et al., The importance of preventive dental visits from a immature age: a systematic review and current perspectives; Clinical, Corrective and Investigational Dentistry.

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Dr. Shailesh Shenoy has a post-graduate degree in Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry (MDS) from Yenepoya Dental Higher (2011). He is an acquaintance of the Yenepoya Dental College and runs his own Pediatric and Multi-Specialty Dental Clinic in Mangalore. With 8 years of experience, Dr. Shenoy is also a member of The International Development Association (IDA) and The Indian Club of... more

Dr. Ritika Shah is a dental surgeon with more than than seven years of clinical experience beyond various cities in India. During her clinical practice, pediatric dentistry was her item area of involvement, and she constantly thrived to inculcate the latest advancements in the field of dentistry into her practice. Dr. Shah's deep interest in the well-being of babies and children... more