Tooth enamel issues

[T_Mom]

On another thread Lacy posted:

 

Between me and DH, we have fairly strong and healthy teeth. We've noticed DD's two front teeth are slightly discolored. I don't know if it's because we're on well water and/or a mix of the different medications she's been on. They're her adult teeth and I'm really interested to hear what the dentist has to say about it. I wondered if anyone else has noticed anything like this with their kids?

 

Yes, our daughter's permanent teeth have enamel uneven-discoloration, little white uneven spots on some teeth. These were on the permanent teeth since day-one. She also has a back-molar that is very misshapen. The dentist told me that the discoloration was most likely due to exposure to antibiotics when I was carrying her, or possibly when she was an young infant?

 

The misshapen molar he said was due to possible birth trauma--which arrested tooth development slightly (on that one tooth?)

[Dedee]

I don't mean to state the obvious here regarding the birth trauma, but babies normally don't have teeth to be traumatized at birth. I have heard of antibiotics causing discoloration though.

 

Dedee

[Caryn]

I have discolored teeth with white flecks. My mother was told it was from tetracycline.

 

My 6 year old son has them too. I have since been told that they are a sign of Celiac. He is diagnosed with Celiac and I am very happily gluten free now. Tooth enamel defects are a big sign for celiac and often times it is the dentist that diagnoses first because the peds often miss it completely. It is very sad. Food is such an easy cure.

 

We have been on a special diet and supp program for Tigger for 2 years now. He is just starting to lose those discolored baby teeth and I am holding my breath on whether or not the new ones will be discolored as well.

[Caryn]

At birth all 20 of the baby's primary teeth are already formed.... When they erupt is another thing.

 

The spots form during development of the teeth and are called Enamel Hypoplasia or Hypocalcification. The cause is poor health in mother at time of pregnancy-- malnutrition. This is exactly what Celiac does to a person when they are eating wheat/gluten. The person's body cannot digest the protein found in wheat and as a result it causes malabsorption of essential nutrients. A pregnant woman having a premature birth is another symptom. These people are nutritionally starving. They often lack calcium, vitamin D, zinc, can't absorb dietary fats (poop floats) and are often suffering from inability to concentrate, irritability, sleeplessness (due to lack of magnesium).

 

I highly, highly, highly suggest getting a gluten intolerance/celiac test if the person has digestive issues, neurological issues, and tooth enamel issues. There is an underlying cause that needs to be addressed and a possibly misdiagnosis of PANDAS in my opinion, or at least an underlying catalyst for all the ongoing strep infections causing PANDAS wax ons every so many months.

 

If you eliminate the cause you may possibly reduce the duration and severity of additional infections.

[T_Mom]

Thanks Caryn and Dedee--I will ask the dentist re: celiac, though--thankfully, no other digestive indicators have ever been detected. The flecks of white are on permanent teeth and have been there from the start. Baby-teeth were fine so it would seem to indicate "something" had an effect on tooth enamel development as the dentist told us.

[lss]

T.Mom,

 

Our dentist mentioned possible celiac with our son after he took x-rays of his teeth. He said a certain kind of indentations on teeth that he could see on x-rays were possible indications of celiac. We did have our son tested for celiac and the pediatrician said it was negative. However, I had also taken him previously to see a DAN (they run different tests) and he said he tested positive to celiac, so now I have made another appointment with another allergy/immunology doctor!

 

Also, the white spots could be from using the floride drops that we were all told to use by dentist when the kids are young. Sometimes it can be too much for them, at least thats what I was told by our other dentist in Florida.

 

Linda

[bronxmom2]

My son had BEAUTIFUL baby teeth, but the two adult teeth that have grown in are very discolored. They don't seem to have any enamel at all. I have been worried that this is PANDAS related.

 

But he has NOT had a ton of antibiotics in his life... none before age 3, then a few courses every year for strep. The extensive antibiotics came only this year, AFTER the teeth grew in or anyway as they were growing in. So I have been wondering if the chronic systemic infection could have caused it?

 

We are going to the dentist tomorrow.

[T_Mom]

BronxMom--Our daughter didn't have alot of antibiotics either (that I remember!) when young, nor do I remember taking anything at all when pregnant...It would be interesting to see what your dentist says tomorrow--

T.

[bronxmom2]

I have no reason to believe our dentist will know any more than yours, who seems to have attributed it to causes that weren't there (ie your antibiotic use while pregnant)-- anyway I'll let you know.

 

The yellow teeth are really bother my son-- I keep finding him in the bathroom examining them. It's such a bummer. I'm hoping the dentist can bleach them or something. He's depressed enough.

[Lacy]

Hi all!

 

So DD went to her dentist appointment and it turns out that it was nothing serious. They couldn't take xrays (it was 2 days too soon since the last one for insurance to cover them - argh), but after a good cleaning they polished up a bit. However, I thought they still looked discolored. The dentist said that baby teeth tend to be a brighter white than the adult teeth that come in behind them. She showed me the differences with DD's other adult teeth and she was right - they were darker than the baby teeth.

 

Also, since we're on well water we're going to get that tested - apparently some wells still carry trace amounts of flouride - enough for a child. If there isn't enough flouride in the water, then the next step is to give her a monthly flouride treatment which wouldn't be any big deal.

 

As for the meds that DD's on - the dentist said they wouldn't play a part in teeth health/color.

 

Sorry for the delay!

[mom2ty]

My son ty was taking minocycline for quite some time in treatment of his Lyme Disease. Doctor indicated that discoloration of the tooth is a very real symptom of long term use of Minocycline. Not sure if you're daughter has been treated with Minocycline or not.

 

I think we've come to the conclusion that we'll take the discoloration over the other symptoms of LD and PANDAS. Now we're off the minocycline, hopefully things will get better.