Stains on Kids’ Teeth in Houston, TX | Dassani Dentistry (2024)

Home | Blog | Why Are My Baby’s Teeth Stained?

Posted on March 13th, 2024

Stains on Kids’ Teeth in Houston, TX | Dassani Dentistry (1)As brand-new humans, it seems logical that babies and children would have gleaming white teeth to go along with their bright eyes and soft skin. Baby teeth—also called primary teeth—generally do appear whiter than adult permanent teeth because they are more calcified. However, it is not uncommon for a child’s teeth to appear less than luminous for any number of reasons. Your Houston dental team at Dassani Dentistry would like to share some causes and possible solutions for yellow, brown, and black stains on kids’ teeth.

What Causes Stained Baby Teeth?

  • Poor Oral Hygiene – If baby teeth aren’t brushed and flossed thoroughly, bacteria may form and become plaque, which hardens into tartar and can lead to discoloration. Practice thorough oral hygiene for the healthiest, whitest smile.
  • Medication – If babies are given nutritional supplements containing iron, their teeth can become dark and discolored. If their mothers take tetracycline while pregnant or breastfeeding, babies can develop black stains on their teeth.
  • Injury – A single blackened tooth can be the result of dental trauma that caused bleeding inside the tooth.
  • Weak Enamel – Inadequate enamel formation can be hereditary and lead to baby teeth that appear a dull gray color.
  • Excessive Fluoride Fluorosis is a condition caused by the consumption of too much fluoride when teeth are forming but prior to appearance in the mouth, which takes place before kids are eight years old. To avoid fluorosis, keep an eye on your child’s oral hygiene habits and remind them not to swallow toothpaste or mouthwash. Fluorosis can also be caused by mixing infant formula powder or liquid with fluoridated water if these types of formula are your baby’s main food source. Fluorosis can range in severity from mild, barely visible markings to pitting and black or brown spots in more severe cases.
  • Illness – Some kids’ baby teeth develop with a greenish or yellowish tint if they are born with a condition called hyperbilirubinemia, which means there is too much bilirubin in the blood.
  • Foods & Beverages – This list of staining culprits wouldn’t be complete without some common staining foods and beverages. Thankfully (hopefully), kids don’t need to worry much about tea, coffee, or red wine, which are some of the biggest factors for adults, but any dark-colored foods and drinks like berries or fruit juice will stain their teeth. Even light-colored foods like apples and potatoes go through a process of oxidation that can cause teeth staining. Who knew!?

How Can Stained Baby Teeth Be Prevented or Treated?

If discoloration is caused by poor dental hygiene, brushing more thoroughly should help. Until your child learns to spit at around age three, don’t use more than a rice-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste on their toothbrush.

To decrease bad bacteria in your child’s mouth, avoid putting soft drinks, juice, formula, or other sugary concoctions in their bottle—only allow them a bottle filled with water. If your child uses a pacifier, never dip it in sugar or honey, and try to avoid sharing utensils with your child as this can transfer bacteria from your mouth to theirs (and vice versa!) and increase the likelihood of cavity formation.

Depending on your child’s unique dental situation, Dassani Dentistry may watch their teeth for signs of other problems or recommend future procedures like teeth whitening or bonding. Some kids are more sensitive to stained teeth than others due to their natural oral pH level.

If you are concerned about stains on your child’s teeth, contact your Houston dentist, Dr. Meghna Dassani at Dassani Dentistry today. We’d love to help!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Stains on Kids’ Teeth in Houston, TX | Dassani Dentistry (2)

About Meghna Dassani, DMD

Dr. Meghna Dassani received her initial dental training from the University of Mumbai, India, where she graduated in 1996 as Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS). After working as an associate for one year, she established her own practice in Mumbai, India. She successfully operated this practice for six years prior to moving to the US. When Dr. Meghna Dassani is not in the office she is at home being a mommy to her 2 beautiful girls and enjoying time relaxing with her husband. Since opening her own practice in 2011 she doesn’t have a lot of free time but when the time allows she enjoys traveling, reading, gardening, cooking, visiting with friends and family and of course SHOPPING with a Starbucks in her hand!

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Meghna Dassani, DMD
Dassani Dentistry

1600 C Clear Lake City Blvd.
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Stains on Kids’ Teeth in Houston, TX | Dassani Dentistry (2024)

FAQs

Can dentists get rid of stains on teeth? ›

If you have intrinsic stains on your teeth, your dentist won't be able to remove them. However, they can use cosmetic dentistry treatments like veneers to cover up the stained enamel and make your teeth look as white as you want.

How do you get stains out of kids teeth? ›

You can usually remove these stains by brushing the teeth with a little bit of adult toothpaste (which contains more scrubbing power than children's) or a little bit of baking soda and water. If this doesn't work, your dentist can remove the stains with a professional scrubbing.

How do you get rid of black stains on children's teeth? ›

Home Remedies for Removing Black Stains on Baby Teeth

Brushing with a Soft-Bristled Toothbrush: Use a gentle, age-appropriate toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste twice a day. Focus on brushing for at least two minutes, reaching all surfaces of the teeth.

How to fix staining on teeth? ›

Professional whitening works best on surface (extrinsic) stains. But some whitening products can remove deep dental (intrinsic) stains, too. In-office bleaching takes about one hour to complete. Most take-home whitening treatments require 30- to 60-minute daily treatments for up to six weeks.

What teeth stains Cannot be removed? ›

Intrinsic stains occur beneath the surface of the tooth and occur when stain-causing particles are able to work their way through the outer layer of your tooth and accumulate within the enamel. Intrinsic tooth stains are more difficult to remove then extrinsic stains, but they can be treated.

How do dentists remove deep stains? ›

Polishing is the simplest way to remove stains. It is a painless procedure where your dentist applies a paste to the surfaces of your teeth using a rotating instrument. Deeper intrinstic stains may require for advanced treatment such as microabrasion.

Why are my 7 year olds teeth stained? ›

If your child's teeth are not being brushed at least twice a day for 2+ minutes, bacteria-filled plaque and tartar (hardened and calcified plaque) can form on their teeth. Plaque can attract stains from foods and beverages, and tartar has a yellowish-brown color that may also discolor the teeth.

How to remove yellow stains from child's teeth? ›

For stains from food and drink or plaque on the tooth's surface, you might try making a paste from a few drops of lemon juice and baking soda. Once per week, simply combine the two ingredients and have your child brush their teeth with them. Leave on for 1 or 2 minutes before brushing again, then rinsing well.

Can old stains be removed from teeth? ›

Extrinsic stains are caused by external sources, such as food and drinks, tobacco use, and poor dental hygiene. They occur on the surface of your teeth and can usually be removed with professional cleaning or teeth whitening methods.

Why do kids have brown stains on teeth? ›

Common culprits include popsicles, citrus fruits, juices, and soda that can gradually expose the dentin layer underneath the tooth enamel. Heavily pigmented drinks and foods can also destroy the enamel and cause the teeth to appear dull, yellow, gray, or discolored.

What are chromogenic stains on teeth in children? ›

Exogenous tooth discoloration, chromogenic, or pediatric staining are other terms used to refer to black stains [2]. Black stains are usually characterized by black dots or lines along the gingival third of both primary or permanent teeth, which are hard to remove using a toothbrush and may reappear after clearing [1].

What causes black stains on kids' teeth? ›

Blacks-stains are ferrous depots, formed following a chemical interaction on the surface of the tooth between sulphide of hydrogen (under the effect of the anaerobic bacteria which are producing hydrogen) and the iron contained in the saliva (by a healthy diet) or that released by red blood corpuscles (in case of ...

What is the best stain remover for teeth? ›

Dramatic Whitening: Oral-B 3D White Luxe toothpaste can help improve coffee stained teeth and provides noticeable whitening results after seven days of use. Gentle Whitening: If you have teeth sensitive to whitening, Oral-B 3D White Delicate White can help improve the appearance of coffee stained teeth gradually.

Can brown stains on teeth be removed? ›

Brown teeth stains often respond well to teeth whitening systems. If you have brown teeth stains due to smoking, a combination of products including those from the Crest 3D White collection, may help reduce brown teeth stains and prevent them from recurring. But it's important to be realistic.

Can you reverse brown stains on teeth? ›

Many over-the-counter products can eliminate tooth discoloration. A person will usually see results after 1–2 weeks, though there is no guarantee. Some over-the-counter options include: whitening mouthwashes and rinses containing hydrogen peroxide.

Can badly stained teeth be cleaned? ›

Even the most badly stained teeth can benefit from a professional cleaning by a dentist. Using special tools to remove plaque and tartar can help to improve the appearance of teeth, particularly for yellow stains.

Can a dentist remove brown spots on teeth? ›

Extrinsic stains can result from years of smoking or tobacco use, as well as a diet that includes a lot of acidic foods, like red wine, soda, coffee, and tea. These stains can usually be removed through cosmetic dentistry procedures like teeth whitening, dental bonding, or porcelain veneers.

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