Common questions

What color does tetracycline turn teeth?

What color does tetracycline turn teeth?

The tetracycline will oxidize once the teeth have had exposure to light. Then the discoloration will change from fluorescent yellow to nonfluorescent brown or grey. This discoloration process happens over a period of a few months to years.

How does tetracycline affect teeth?

To put it plainly, tooth discoloration occurs when tetracycline binds with the calcium needed for tooth development. This occurs during the mineralizing and calcifying process, resulting in intrinsic tooth stains — meaning the stains develop below the surface of the tooth.

What antibiotics cause teeth staining?

The antibiotics tetracycline and doxycycline are known to discolor teeth when given to children whose teeth are still developing (before age 8). Mouth rinses and washes containing chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride can also stain teeth.

How long until tetracycline stains teeth?

Nonstained teeth average three to six weeks with whitening trays, while tetracycline-stained teeth may take two to 12 months for results.

Does tetracycline cause stained teeth?

One of the side-effects of tetracyclines is incorporation into tissues that are calcifying at the time of their administration. They have the ability to chelate calcium ions and to be incorporated into teeth, cartilage and bone, resulting in discoloration of both the primary and permanent dentitions.

Does tetracycline permanently stain teeth?

Tooth staining/discoloration with tetracycline is influenced by the dosage used, length of treatment or exposure, stage of tooth mineralization (or calcification) and degree of activity of the mineralization process. The discoloration is permanent and can vary from yellow or gray to brown.

Why does doxycycline discolor teeth?

Tetracycline readily binds to calcium, which can lead to permanent yellow, gray, and brown staining of developing teeth if administered during tooth crown calcification. This event is dose- and duration-dependent and most commonly occurs between birth and 8 years for most permanent teeth except third molars.

Can tetracycline stained teeth be bleached?

If you have tetracycline stains, in-office teeth whitening with a high concentration of peroxide can significantly lighten your teeth. This type of whitening is often referred to as deep bleaching. While deep bleaching can remove tetracycline stains in some patients, for others it may not be enough.

Can tetracycline cause enamel hypoplasia?

A hypoplasia is pathologically defined as a disruption during tooth development. A dental hypoplasia coincides with an insufficiency and/or irregular quantity of enamel and/or enamel. Tetracycline may cause dental hypoplasia when taken during pregnancy or by an infant or young child during tooth development.

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Ruth Doyle