The sight of a healthy, white smile is a pleasure for everyone. When a child’s teeth start to turn yellow, some parents might become very concerned. These events are pretty common, and there are many reasons why they can happen. Treatments for discoloration that are internal or external are available in various ways.
You should remember that children’s teeth can stain just as easily as adults’ teeth. A child’s external discoloration may be caused by something he or she ate or drank. Dentin defects, fluorosis, or trauma may cause internal discoloration. Most dental issues can be handled at home or in the dentist’s office, whether they originate from the inside or the outside.
Discolouration of the teeth – What you need to know
In the first place, let us talk about the tooth discolouration. When your child’s teeth become discolored, it can occur naturally when the white colour of their teeth changes. However, tooth discoloration can also happen internally. There are many reasons behind the external discoloration, but it is usually temporary.
But there can be medical conditions behind the internal discoloration. Children may have yellow teeth that are readily apparent upon first glance, but there are a few signs that can help you establish if any type of discolouration is present, such as:
- Trauma to your child’s teeth causes black stains on their teeth
- It’s terrible oral hygiene habits and bacteria that causes your kid’s teeth to appear orange
- White stains often indicate early tooth decay, which is the first sign of problems with teeth
- When trauma or eating dark foods causes your child’s teeth to become blue, purple, or red
- It is very likely that your child has suffered an injury or drank something dark beforehand that has discoloured their teeth.
Reasons why your child’s teeth may be yellow
Having white, healthy teeth is something children desire just as much as adults. You may, however, notice that your child’s teeth are beginning to turn yellow. Many things may cause this to happen. The health of your teeth depends on whether you have external or internal tooth discoloration, and the treatment for yellowing teeth depends on that.
Food and Drink
You can cause your child’s teeth to be yellow by eating and drinking. Yellow stains can occur when teeth are exposed to pigmented foods and beverages, such as blueberries, cherries, soda, and soy sauce. As well as whether the enamel was still forming when the child was exposed to these products, the degree of staining on their teeth is determined by how long or regularly they are exposed to these products. Following consumption of acidic drinks or foods heavily pigmented, it’s a good idea to have your child rinse with water.
Poor Dental Hygiene
If teeth are not brushed and flossed regularly, plaque and stains can build up, causing teeth to become yellow. Yellow teeth can be prevented by brushing and flossing twice a day for children.
Teeth Trauma
When children’s teeth are stained by trauma to their nerves, such as a fall, it is because the nerves are damaged rather than the surface of the tooth. In teeth that have nerves attached, the stain only forms on those teeth. If your child’s tooth is gray or yellow as a result of nerve trauma, take them to the dentist as soon as possible. Teeth can indeed be temporarily whitened with whitening treatments, but the inside of the tooth will require professional care.
Fluorosis
During the tooth-forming years, consuming too much fluoride causes this irreversible condition. A mineralization disorder can result when fluoride damages enamel-forming cells, resulting in a yellowish appearance to the subsurface enamel.
Tetracycline (antibiotics)
A child’s teeth can turn yellow after taking tetracycline, an antibiotic medication. Generally, this is contained in cold medicines and happens when a child ingests it during their growth period when the teeth are forming. You may stain your enamel in patches, lines, or ribbons over the entire tooth, or it might just affect patches of the tooth. Based on how long the tooth was exposed to the acid and what part of the enamel was formed during that time. It is impossible to remove these stains without applying bleaching solutions. Due to this reason, Tetracycline is rarely prescribed for children under eight years of age.
Iron (Multivitamins)
The iron in your toddler’s multivitamin may be causing dark stains on their teeth. Approximately one out of every thousand kids are at risk for this kind of stain and once formed, the stains can be tough to remove, which means regular brushing and flossing are crucial to preventing the stain from forming.
Genetic Disorders
A genetic disorder called dentinogenesis imperfect can explain the yellowing of a child’s teeth. It is not uncommon for a child with this condition to have a parent who has the same situation, so seeking medical advice is necessary in order to diagnose and manage other aspects of the situation.
How Can I Treat Yellow Teeth?
We are sharing Most Effective Home remedies for yellow teeth
Good oral hygiene
The first thing you should do is make sure your child brushes and flosses twice a day. To further protect enamel after they eat anything sugary or acidic, encourage them to brush within 30 minutes to an hour of eating. After taking supplements such as iron, they should brush and rinse their mouths well. In order to avoid fluorosis, children should brush their teeth lightly and rinse thoroughly afterward.
Maintaining a proper dental hygiene regimen will ensure that their teeth are free of plaque and substance-causing. Furthermore, it will help gradually whiten mild stains. Some people may need to assist younger children with brushing habits.
Lemon and baking soda
You can make a paste using a few drops of lemon juice and baking soda to remove stains from food and drink or plaque from the tooth’s surface. Combining these two ingredients and brushing your child’s teeth with them once a week will help clean their teeth. You may have to wait for a couple of minutes before brushing again. Rinse well after that. However, applying lemon juice too often may damage enamel, although this method is generally safe.
Dietary changes
Hard fruits and vegetables are good snacks for your child, which include apples, carrots, celery, and pears. Moreover, these foods can clean teeth’s surfaces when chewed, which are both healthy and beneficial. It is thought that the tough exterior of these foods acts as a secondary brush to clean the teeth.
Malic acid, for example, is also present in certain fruits (apples, for example) and many over-the-counter (OTC) whitening products. Don’t indulge in sugary drinks or acidic foods at the same time. The enamel on teeth can be damaged and discolored by foods like sour candy, sodas, citrus fruits, potato chips, and dried fruits.
OTC whitening products for older kids
Additionally, stains on the surfaces of your teeth might be treated by visiting your local pharmacy. The popularity of over-the-counter whitening kits, kinds of toothpaste, and other products is steadily increasing. However, before you chuck a box into your shopping cart, take a moment to think about your children’s teeth.
A majority of pediatric dentists disagree that over-the-counter kits are a good choice for children. People who think it’s fine recommend waiting until your child has all his or her adult teeth before doing so. Kits available over the counter may cause tooth sensitivity and gum irritation.
Dental Treatment
It is essential to have your child’s teeth looked at by a dental professional to make sure there are no severe or chronic conditions underlying the yellowness. The placement of a cap on the teeth may be needed in some cases to prevent unnecessary wear and tear. In addition to sealing teeth, sealants may also prevent decay in those cases where poor brushing is to blame. Whitening or veneers, which were previously available only to adults, may be offered treatment in certain situations. Additionally, your dentist can provide your child with a thorough cleaning of his or her teeth at the time of their regular checkup.
What are the Long Term Effects of Yellow Teeth?
There are a number of long-term consequences associated with yellow teeth, depending on which factors caused the yellowing. Chipped teeth are often caused by yellow teeth being prone to decay and weakness. Since baby teeth are as important as permanent teeth, this problem affects children of all ages. People sometimes have a hard time understanding children who have yellow teeth. It’s best to seek treatment early if the discoloration is severe; otherwise, your child might be teased.
Conclusion
Whitening your teeth at home is possible with many choices. Make sure you avoid damaging your gums or enamel as this can lead to soreness and cavities. Despite your best efforts to keep your teeth white, stains can still occur. So, the best way to prevent stains is to practice good oral hygiene and schedule regular dental check-ups. Whatever the case, make sure your child gets a dental checkup every six months, regardless of whether they have yellow or white teeth. For preventing tartar and taking care of other concerns, including cavities, you should undergo monitoring and treatment twice a year.