Discolored baby teeth can not only ruin the smile of your child but can also affect his confidence levels when he grows up. Tooth discoloration is one of the most common dental issues in toddlers.
Primary teeth begin to show up by the time your child turns six months old. The teeth erupt between the ages of three to twelve months. Toddlers do a lot of eating and chewing during this time; therefore, you need to check their teeth often and visit the dentist if there is a change in color.
Symptoms of Discolored Baby Teeth
- The shine of your baby’s teeth may fade away and look a little greasy
- Stains on teeth, teeth may look off-white, yellow or grey
Causes of Tooth Discoloration
- Dental hygiene: Regular brushing is very important to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Children often ignore brushing or do not do it properly. Because of this plaque form on the teeth, leading to discoloration.
- Sugary drinks: High consumption of sugary and soda drinks can lead to staining. Acids and soda and dark ingredients in cranberry or grape juices cause teeth staining, erosion of enamel, and tooth decay.
- Weak enamel: Children, who have genetic problems related to enamel formation, have a high chance of tooth discoloration.
- Fluoride: excessive use of fluoride in toothpaste or other tap water can develop a white line on teeth surface
- Medicines: The use of antibiotics and vitamin supplements containing iron may also cause stains on baby teeth.
- Tooth injury: bleeding due to an injury can turn a tooth grayish
Treatment
The treatment depends on the condition and cause of tooth discoloration. The dentist may use bleaching oxides to fix the stains or may use other techniques. He might also look for infections and the presence of any other disease that might be causing discoloration.
If you are worried about your child’s teeth color and dental health, call Sima Dental on 281-457-6444 and get an appointment with the best pediatric dentists in town.