Children's teeth can sometimes look yellow or discoloured, causing concerned parents to wonder if teeth whitening would be helpful in addressing the issue. Here's why our Surrey dentists advise against teeth whitening for children and young teens.
Concerned parents sometimes ask us why their child's newly erupted adult teeth are dark or yellowish in colour, and wonder if having their child's teeth whitened would be a good idea.
Our dentists do not prescribe teeth whitening for young teens or children.
Adult teeth have considerably more of a substance called dentin, than baby teeth do. Dentin tends to be yellowish in colour and is the second layer of the teeth under the enamel. So, baby teeth and adult teeth are naturally different colours. Adult teeth appear darker and discoloured when compared to the remaining baby teeth because of the dentin in the adult teeth.
Generally, once all the baby teeth have fallen out, the darker colour of the adult teeth will be much less noticeable.
Another good reason why we don't recommend teeth whitening for children and young teens is that we just don't have enough data for us to make an informed decision about whether teeth whitening is safe for children and younger teens. The scientific community doesn't really know if the whitening gel will negatively affect teeth that are still developing.
Your family's health is our priority! Our dentists will only prescribe teeth whitening for older teens or adults looking to remove stains and brighten their smiles.
