When a child begins to lose their baby teeth and permanent teeth begin to erupt, the permanent teeth appear more yellow than their baby teeth. This is a natural occurrence because of the different makeup of baby teeth and permanent teeth. Baby teeth reflect light differently than adult teeth, making the adult teeth appear more yellow. When they are right next to each other, the difference in color is more dramatic.

Permanent teeth are normally more yellow than primary teeth. This becomes very apparent when the child is between the ages of seven and ten, where the adult teeth are next to the very white baby teeth. Once the child has lost several more baby teeth, most children appear to have very white smiles. » Return to Top

Substances including red wine, coffee, tea, smoking and even iron tablets can cause the teeth's surface to become stained. As we age the hard white enamel wears down revealing more of the soft, yellow dentine underneath. Tartar, a hard yellow, brown or black substance forms when too much plaque collects close to the gums. Some people have staining inside the tooth, which may have been caused by certain medication or when the teeth were developing during childhood.

Teething, the process of baby (primary) teeth coming through the gums into the mouth, is variable among individual babies. Some babies get their teeth early and some get them late. In general the first baby teeth are usually the lower front (anterior) teeth and usually begin erupting between the age of 6-8 months. Children's teeth begin forming before birth.

We offer several different teeth whitening options that can be done in our office or in the privacy of your own home. To determine which option is best suited for your needs, we recommend you contact our office to schedule an initial consultation.

You may notice a slight change in color several months down the road but that can be taken care of in just a couple of nights every 6 months or so. A lot depends on you if you are a smoker or if you drink a lot of tea or coffee you might notice a change sooner. Generally though your teeth will not return to the color

The first step is to get a cleaning using a "prophy jet" with a baking soda spray and tooth polishing as the last step. This will help your dentist evaluate the type and amount of real discoloration present in your teeth. Then, a two-step in-office bleaching technique using heat/lamp or the new laser approach is combined with the usual "matrix home bleach" for the safest, quickest way to whiter teeth. Subsequent follow-up is recommended to maintain your new tooth color.

Begin daily brushing as soon as the child's first tooth erupts. A pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste can be used after the child is old enough not to swallow it. We ask parents to help with at least one brushing a day until age six and then supervise until the child does a thorough job. However, each child is different. Your dentist can help you determine whether the child has the skill level to brush properly. Proper brushing removes plaque from the inner, outer and chewing surfaces.

Yellow teeth can be whitened with bleaching or by placing porcelain veneers or crowns on them. If the teeth are not extensively decayed or filled and generally are good looking, except for the yellow color, bleaching is often the easiest, most conservative and least expensive option. Bleaching is an inexpensive process that is designed to take the dark pigments out of the teeth. It will not whiten fillings or crowns on teeth.

Over the years, like almost everyone, you've experienced a natural buildup of organic pigments on your teeth. Colorized proteins from coffee, tea, and other foods have simply darkened the natural whiteness of your teeth. The use of tobacco, antibiotics, and certain minerals usually speeds the darkening process. But, yellowing can be easily reversed.

Teeth begin to erupt at about six months of age. The tooth appears first and the root begins to develop underneath. When a child's mouth is fully developed there should be 20 teeth -- 10 on the bottom and 10 on the top. Top Teeth -- The central incisors, or very front teeth, are the first to erupt between 6 to 12 months. The teeth next to them, called the lateral incisors, erupt between 9 to 13 months. The canines erupt between 16 to 22 months. The first molars erupt between 13 to 19 months.

Primary, or "baby," teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt.

Thumb and pacifier sucking habits will generally only become a problem if they go on for a very long period of time. Most children stop these habits on their own, but if they are still sucking their thumbs or fingers when the permanent teeth arrive, a mouth appliance may be recommended by your pediatric dentist.

Make sure your child has a balanced diet, including one serving each of: fruits and vegetables, breads and cereals, milk and dairy products, and meat fish and eggs. Limiting the servings of sugars and starches will also aid in protecting your child's teeth from decay. You can also ask your pediatric dentist to help you select foods that protect your children's teeth.

Soft plastic mouthguards can be used to protect a child's teeth, lips, cheeks and gums from sport related injuries. A custom-fitted mouthguard developed by a pediatric dentist will protect your child from injuries to the teeth, face and even provide protection from severe injuries to the head.

Stains can be just on the surface of the tooth (extrinsic) or incorporated into the developing tooth (intrinsic). The latter is more rare. Tetracycline antibiotics will stain teeth that are forming at the time of the drug's use. As a result, tetracyclines are no longer given to pregnant women or children under twelve (except in life-threatening cases). The forming teeth may be stained gray to yellow to orange. Some stains can be bleached out; others need to be covered by bonded plastic resins.

Put a small pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste across the brush of a childs toothbrush. Apply the toothpaste across the width of the brush, instead of the length. Yes, but currently only 30% of Californians have it. Click here to see if you have it. The map is a general guide and does not include areas that receive fluoride naturally. Call the local water supplier for more specific information.

Yes. The light emitted by the "Photo Arc Light machine works by activating the bleaching gel to release oxygen which acts on the stain. The light gives off radiant energy and heat. However, the exposure to the light is in just three second intervals per tooth. The instructions for using the light are rigidly adhered to. No harm to any child or adult has ever occurred with proper use of this light emitting machine.