Stains on the teeth of babies and children

Stains on the teeth of babies and young children often cause a lot of uneasiness among parents.

Baby teeth are originally bluish-white in color. However, there are different factors that can affect its color and cause stains to appear on the tooth surface or completely change the shade of the teeth.

Stains on baby teeth can be due to internal or external causes. The pediatric dentist is the professional who must assess the origin of the colorations and their treatment.

In some cases, the appearance of stains on the teeth in children can be prevented, while in others it is due to some pathology, injury or an adverse effect of a drug.

The treatment of stains on milk teeth will depend on the type of coloration, its location (if it affects a single tooth or the entire dentition), the affectation at the level of health and aesthetics.

Types of stains on baby teeth

The stains on the teeth of babies and young children can take on different shades. From the appearance of white spots on milk teeth , to yellow, brown, grayish and black colorations.

Although these are rare cases, green spots can also be seen in children and red spots due to certain pathologies.

• Tooth injuries . A fracture or a strong blow to the tooth can cause changes in the color of the affected piece. These can take on a pinkish, yellowish, grayish-brown or even black hue.

The cause of this change in color is generally due to hemorrhage inside the tooth or, in the most serious cases, pulpal necrosis, the total or partial death of the nerve.

It is not necessary to wait to observe a change in the color of the teeth to go to the pediatric dentist. In the event of a trauma or strong blow to the mouth, the severity of the injury must be assessed. The objective is the preservation of the milk tooth, whenever possible, and to prevent infectious processes.

• cavities _ White spots on baby teeth can be a symptom of early childhood caries. For this reason, it is necessary to go to the pediatric dentist at the moment in which any white spot is observed on the baby's or child's teeth.

These cavities usually manifest as slight colorations, and located in the area of ​​the tooth closest to the gum area.

However, if left untreated and allowed to progress, the decay can progress and the spots darken and may take on a brown or black color.

The prolonged presence of carbohydrates in the mouth is the main cause of caries in infants and young children. They are known as early childhood caries because they usually appear due to bad habits such as offering very sugary liquids in the bottle or letting the little ones fall asleep with it in their mouth.

If you use a pacifier, it should never be immersed in sugar or other sugary substances.

Another practice not recommended is sharing cutlery with children or tasting food with their cutlery, as this habit can transmit bacteria that cause cavities.

At the same time, it is essential to follow good oral hygiene habits.

The treatment of caries in babies and children should be early. Caries not only affect aesthetics, but can affect the dentin or the nerve, compromising its stability and even causing tooth loss.

• Dental calculus (tartar) . Inadequate oral hygiene in the first years of life can cause the formation of bacterial plaque on the dental surface and its mineralization in dental calculus.

Teeth with tartar in children are characterized by the presence of yellow stains, or brown in the most severe cases.

To remove tartar in children it will be necessary to carry out professional oral hygiene and to prevent its appearance, good tooth brushing habits must be maintained.

• fluorosis . Fluoride has a beneficial effect in preventing cavities. However, if it is ingested in large quantities and for a long time during the period of tooth formation, it can damage the tooth enamel. This is what is known as dental fluorosis .

This happens because too high levels of fluorides interfere with the proper functioning of the cells that form the enamel, altering them and preventing the enamel from maturing normally.

In areas of the world where there is a high concentration of fluorides in and water, fluorosis is more common.

This condition usually develops from birth until they are 6 or 8 years old, coinciding with the period of tooth formation.

Fluorosis usually manifests itself with the appearance of small white or brown spots on the teeth of children . In more severe cases, speckled teeth, striations, and brittle enamel can be seen.

• hypoplasia . Sometimes, there is a lack of mineralization of the enamel. As a consequence, white or brown spots may appear on the teeth, cracks or great wear.

The cause of dental hypoplasia can be genetic, due to infectious diseases (rubella, smallpox, etc.), malnutrition or prematurity at birth, among others.

Hypoplasia can be accompanied by tooth sensitivity and often increases the risk of caries and periodontal disease.

• Drugs . When talking about drug-stained teeth , the main drug that usually causes this adverse effect is tetracycline.

Tetracycline stains on the teeth usually appear when the mother takes this antibiotic during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. In that sense, teeth can be stained from six months of gestation to twelve years, so it can affect both baby and permanent teeth.

These are generally yellow, brown or gray spots that may be accompanied by bands or lines.

Pediatric iron supplements can also stain children's teeth.

• Rh incompatibility . When mother and baby have different blood types, bilirubin is deposited in the developing primary teeth, which turn a green or brownish-brown hue.

It is a temporary condition, since it only affects the milk teeth.

• Liver diseases . Pathologies such as biliary atresia can cause green or yellow stains on baby teeth, while neonatal hepatitis can cause yellowish or brown discoloration.

• congenital porphyria . This disease can cause the presence of pinkish-brown to mauve as a consequence of porphyrin deposition during its development.

Although milk teeth are temporary, the appearance of stains or changes in the teeth should not be ignored.

Primary teeth, in addition to allowing chewing, allow a harmonious development of the jaws, maintain spaces for permanent teeth and allow adequate development of language and dental aesthetics.

Some of the causes that cause stains on the teeth of babies and children can cause pain, involve the loss of teeth or lead to infectious complications.