WHY DO I HAVE YELLOW TEETH?

Why do I have yellow teeth - Image showing a sad discoloured tooth with a plaster on it

“ Mummy, why do I have yellow teeth?” 8 year old Ruth asked as she looked up at her mother for an answer, a puzzled look on her chubby face.

Yellow teeth : Image showing a crying yellow tooth and two white teeth by the sides

 Mrs Alo sighed, thinking of a way to explain to her daughter that she had used tetracycline when she took ill while pregnant for her. Mrs Alo herself had expressed same concern to her dentists a couple of months before, and it was discovered that the antibiotic tetracycline was the cause.

Everyone likes to have white teeth, and discoloured , stained or “yellow” teeth can be a real source of concern and low self-esteem. However, those concerns are not too small to share with your dentist.

BUT WHAT COULD BE THE CAUSE OF STAINED TEEETH?

  • Tobacco products
  • Certain food pigments, and beverages such as coffee and tea
  • Certain mouthrinses such as chlorhexidine mouthrinse
  • Bacteria
  • Industrial exposure to metals
  • Use of tetracycline by mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding
  • Abnormalities of tooth development
  • Excessive fluoride intake
  • Hemolytic disease in newborns

Whatever the case may be, your dentist is your friend.
Speak to your dentist!

ADDITIONAL INFO

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *