How to Fix A Kid's Yellow Teeth

One of the most annoying behaviors in kids is their aversion to brushing their teeth, whether due to not liking it or from forgetfulness. And the consequences of that can be far-reaching.

Teeth yellowing, in particular, is one of the most devastating effects of poor dental hygiene and can have long-term effects on both the child's esteem and dental structure. While reversing yellow discoloration is doable, it can be a hectic process if many teeth are affected and thus it makes more sense to prevent than to fix it.

How to Prevent Your Kid's Teeth from Turning Yellow

It may sound paradoxical, but the cheapest and most effective treatment of yellow teeth is avoiding yellow teeth in the first place. And it doesn't involve anything complicated - adoption of and strict adherence to proper dental hygiene is all that's needed to keep your child's pearly whites clean and gleaming white for a lifetime. To that end, the 3 most effective ways of preventing yellow teeth are:

Regular Brushing

Dentists recommend brushing after every meal for maximum cleanliness, but that's clearly not possible for school-going kids. In that case, brushing twice a day, at the very least, should be the rule. Ideally, you should make sure your kid brushes their teeth both after breakfast and dinner. That helps remove stuck food particles and kill the harmful bacteria that may have hid in the teeth or gums, both of which prevent the development of plaque.

Stick to The 2 by 2 Rule

It is recommended that everyone, both kids and adults, brush their teeth twice a day with each session lasting two full minutes. This is known as the 2 by 2 Rule, and is informed by the fact that a complete and thorough cleaning of all teeth and gums takes approximately 2 minutes.

Regular Toothbrush Switch

It doesn't matter how many times your kid brushes their teeth. If they're using a worn out toothbrush, they will still be unclean and thus susceptible to yellow teeth. As a rule of thumb, you should replace the toothbrush after 3 months of use, or whenever you notice the bristles fraying.

What Causes Yellow Teeth?

Yeah, oral hygiene is essential, but it takes more than that to stop teeth yellowing. Controlling the type of foods and drinks your kid consumes is also a key prevention tool, seeing as bad diet has been proven to be a culprit in an increasingly high number of yellowing cases. Here's some of the high-risk foods:

Sodas - Bubbly sodas and fizzy drinks contain ingredients such as carbon dioxide, and high quantities of artificial sugars and colors, that can corrode your child's teeth and potentially lead to yellowing.
Popsicles - These are often high in artificial sugars, colors, sweeteners and fats which are not only harmful to children's dental health, but to their overall well-being as well.
Coffee - Coffee-based drinks such as creamy lattes and cappuccinos contain corrosive compounds, which have been found to cause teeth staining.

Ways of Fixing Yellow Teeth

Using Bleaching Tray - When faced with escalated staining, most kid's dentists use bleaching trays, which contain bleaching solvents, to remove the stains.

Whitening Toothpaste - Whitening toothpastes are quite effective for milder cases where booking a dental consultation would not make sense. These are readily available in supermarkets, online stores and pharmacies.

Whitening Strips - These are arguably the most effective type of treatment for stained teeth, although they are also a bit expensive. They consist of adhesive plastic strips covered with hydrogen peroxide (mostly) and stuck on teeth for a given period.

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