A parent's heart instantly skips a beat when they observe a discolored baby tooth. Your child's health depends heavily upon those tiny teeth that make up their full dental development. Primary teeth, also known as baby teeth, serve two essential functions in children: they allow them to eat and speak properly while positioning their permanent teeth correctly for later development.
What Could Cause the Color Change?
Discoloration of baby teeth can be due to various reasons, and the exact color change can often indicate the cause.
Gray or Black Baby Teeth
If your child's tooth has turned gray or black, in most cases, it's a result of trauma. Babies and toddlers are at a high risk of falls as they start to walk, and can sometimes bump their mouths when they fall, which can cause damage to the blood vessels within their teeth. This damage can cause an internal hemorrhage that,F if left untreated, will turn the tooth dark in color.
In most instances, a gray tooth due to trauma doesn't require urgent treatment unless it becomes painful, loose, or shows symptoms of infection, such as swelling or pus. But it's always good to get your pediatric dentist checked if you notice these symptoms.
Other possible causes of gray teeth:
- Severe tooth decay
- Necrosis (death) of the tooth nerve
- Sometimes, diseases affecting tooth enamel on a body-wide scale
Yellow or Brown Baby Teeth
When a tooth is yellow or brown, the main cause is neglect of proper dental hygiene, which leads to the accumulation of plaque and the formation of early cavities. Some cases of yellowing can occur when a child is exposed to certain medications, such as tetracycline antibiotics, while their teeth are growing in.
Other reasons for yellow/brown discoloration are:
- Inadequate brushing leads to plaque and tartar accumulation
- Enamel hypoplasia, where the enamel does not properly develop
- Excessive fluoride exposure (fluorosis)
Although the yellowing may not seem that bad, early treatment is necessary to avoid cavities and more serious dental problems in the future.
Dark or Deep Brown Stains
Deep brown stains might also indicate significant decay or damage. If your child has really dark spots on their teeth, they may be at risk of cavities and need to be treated professionally. This can also occur in infants who habitually fall asleep with bottles, with prolonged exposure to sugars leading to the destabilization of enamel.
White Spots
Actually, white spots on baby teeth may also indicate an early sign of tooth decay or too much fluoride exposure. Even if they don’t appear as ominous as darker stains, white spots usually indicate that the enamel is being compromised.
What To Do For Discolored Teeth In My Child
Discolored tooth frightens, but there are steps your child can take to care for oral health and, in most cases, even reverse early problems.
Step 1: Assess and Monitor
- If the tooth discoloration occurred as a result of an injury, follow the tooth for color changes, mobility, or signs of infection.
- If discoloration occurs for an unclear reason, it may be due to decay, enamel defects, or side effects from medication.
- Regardless of the case, it's recommended to book a dental checkup.
Step 2: Develop Good Oral Habits Right From the Beginning
Good oral hygiene is necessary for maintaining healthy baby teeth. Even before the first tooth erupts, you can begin to clean the gums with a soft and damp cloth.
Once your baby's teeth appear, use a toothbrush designed for babies as a substitute. Two excellent options are:
Designed for tiny fingers and soft gums, this toothbrush features soft bristles and a compact design that fits perfectly in a small mouth. It's excellent for tiny teethers just starting their brushing routine and removes plaque softly without irritating delicate eyes.
Better for infants who haven't reached an age where they can use toothbrushes by themselves, the Momcozy Finger Toothbrush lets parents control the brushing. All you have to do is slide it onto your finger, then gently massage your baby's teeth and gums. It is made of food-grade silicone and presents a safe, efficient way to develop good brushing routines right from the day of infancy.
Using a small dot of fluoride toothpaste, the size of a grain of rice, and brushing twice a day, starting from the time your teeth begin to erupt, is recommended.
Step 3: Avoid Sugary Drinks and Snacks
Foods and drinks rich in sugar, such as fruit juice and milk, especially when fed from bottles for a long time, can cause early decay and discoloration. Try to limit sweet drinks, stop giving a bottle before bed, and encourage water in between.
Step 4: Schedule Regular Dental Visits
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children should visit the dentist before they are one year old or within six months of their first tooth erupting.
Regular dental appointments give your pediatric dentist the opportunity to watch the advancement of your child's teeth and detect any issues in a timely manner.
The dentist may recommend a professional cleaning or other preventive care, such as a fluoride treatment to help build up enamel and prevent future discoloration during an exam.
Will the Tooth Ever Lighten Back Up?
Sometimes, yes. One of the most common questions parents ask when their child has a discolored baby tooth is whether the discoloration is permanent or if it will even out over time, and the tooth will return to its normal white color.
- It varies depending on the cause.
- If trauma was the cause of the discoloration (such as a bump or a fall), the gray or dark color usually stays with the tooth for life. In some fortunate cases, the tooth may whiten slightly as the blood is reabsorbed and the tooth starts showing signs of recovery, but returning to its original white color is rarely complete.
- Since enamel defects (e.g., hypoplasia) are likely the reason behind the discoloration, this condition is usually permanent, although your pediatric dentist may recommend cosmetic treatments for cosmetic reasons.
- In short, while minor cases of staining or plaque discoloration can fade for those who take good care of their periodontal health, trauma- or enamel-related changes are less likely to go away on their own.
How Long Does It Take to Turn White?
If a tooth is going to lighten after discoloration, it typically happens within a few months, usually within 6 months or less.
- However, most teeth that darken after an injury stay that way forever, growing out their good around the 6–12 age period, when permanent teeth start to come in.
- Sometimes, yes – a yellow or discolored baby tooth can get lighter as time passes, depending on what caused the discoloration in the first place.
- If the tooth turns gray due to a bump or minor trauma, it might eventually return to some of its original color as the tooth heals internally. This can take several months. However, keep in mind that in some cases, a traumatized tooth may stay permanently darker, even when it is healthy.
- Suppose the discoloration is caused by decay or even enamel damage. In that case, the tooth will not suddenly change its color back to its original color on its own without professional dental care, such as cleaning, fluoride treatment, or dental restorations like small fillings.
Will My Child’s Baby Tooth Need to be Pulled If It’s Been Damaged?
Generally, no, a discolored or damaged baby tooth usually does not require extraction, especially if it is stable and does not cause pain or infection.
Dentists like to keep baby teeth as long as possible because they are needed for chewing and speech development and to guide permanent teeth into place.
Conclusion
Finding a yellow baby tooth can be unsettling, but it is often a fixable issue with proper care. Whatever the cause of the color change—a minor trauma, just beginning decay, or developmental enamel issues—knowing the root cause is the first step in safeguarding your child's picture-perfect grin. While some teeth can lighten on their own, others may need a bit more TLC — and, in rare instances, professional help. Early dental visits, good oral hygiene habits and a little time will keep your child's baby teeth healthy until it is time for their real smile to come out.
