What causes staining on my child's teeth?



            Staining on your child’s teeth can be very concerning, especially if you are not sure what is causing the staining. There are multiple causes of discoloration. The foods they eat and drink may be impacting the look of their smile. Pediatric dentist Dr. Cameron Fuller, "some foods such as some berries and ketchup are more likely to cause stains to remain on the enamel of their teeth after they brush. If you are concerned about staining look at reducing the amount of sugar or caffeinated drinks they consume and reducing foods that have food dye in them.
            Polish, which your pediatric dentist will do at their six-month routine cleaning is very helpful in keeping their teeth white and can reduce the amount of staining. This procedure is safe and will be done every six months. If you notice there is more discoloration than normal have the dentist take a look to make sure it is not decay. The polish is usually done with a mint-flavored paste that will be applied on their teeth after a cleaning has been completed. It helps to restore the natural white color of their teeth. 
            At times the yellowish stains on the teeth are actually bacteria or decay and your child may need a more in-depth cleaning or fillings to take care of the problem.  They may also not be doing a fantastic job brushing their teeth and plaque may be sticking to their teeth. If you find this a problem try using a timer in order to ensure they are brushing each quadrant for at least two minutes.

Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 5, 2015 at 11:47 AM

    I did not know that is what would cause my son's teeth to be stained. Thinking about it, it does make sense that foods with dye in them would stain and change the color of their teeth though. This just means I am going to need to make sure that he brushes his teeth more. That way he will not have stained teeth growing up and he will keep a great smile.
    http://www.childrensdent.com/contact-us/edina-office.aspx

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