Concerned parents often ask our Surrey dentists why their child's teeth look yellow or discoloured, and whether teeth whitening could help to address the apparent discolouration? At Guildford Dental we advise against teeth whitening for children and young teens. Here's why...
It's not unusual for parents to be concerned that their child's adult teeth appear yellowish in colour or darker than the other teeth. This apparent discolouration can lead parents to wonder if teeth whitening could help to brighten their child's teeth.
Our Surrey dentists strongly advise against teeth whitening for children and young teens for a couple of reasons:
1 - Adult Teeth and Primary Teeth are Naturally Different Colours
Within every tooth, just under the enamel there is a layer of a yellowish substance called dentin. In baby teeth (primary teeth) there is considerably less dentin than there is in adult teeth.
The increased amount of dentin is what causes adult teeth to naturally appear darker than baby teeth. This effect is most noticeable when a child's remaining baby teeth are compared to the newly erupted adult teeth.
Parents should rest assured that the darker colour of the adult teeth will be much less noticeable once the child's remaining baby teeth have fallen out.
2 - Not Enough Scientific Data on Teeth Whitening for Children
When it comes to whitening children's teeth, not enough scientific data is available on the subject for us to make an informed decision about whether it's safe to use whitening solutions on young smiles The scientific community doesn't really know whether the whitening solution could negatively affect developing young smiles.
Your child's safety is our primary concern! Our Surrey dentists will only recommend teeth whitening to adults and older teens looking to brighten their smiles.