Penicillin and brown teeth

[alexandre]

DD has just taken a course of penicillin for a chest infection and her teeth have suddenly gone brown. I vaguely remember my mum mentioning this about 30 years ago when my sister was prescribed penicillin - that it makes your teeth a funny colour - but have never heard this since. There was no mention of this as a side effect on the leaflet accompanying the bottle.

Does anyone have any information on a connection between the two and what I can do to get her teeth back to a more normal colour? They look really awful!!

I think you may have your antibiotics confused - tetracyclines can cause brown staining on second teeth developing in the gum but this is not seen until many years later when the teeth come through the gum.

The tooth enamel is pretty hard and should not change colour from within once it has been formed.

It is possible to get tooth staining (like smokers get) from food and drink esp if she is mouth breathing with a heavy cold and the tartar and plaque dries onto her teeth.

Give her teeth a very vigorous brush and see you dentist if they do not improve.

Apparently the browning arises on second teeth when they are at the bud stage - never was warned about this until DS emerged with a brown tooth - not good - the dentists will know all about it so effectively just bumping for more of them for you

I am on erythomcin and I was puzzled by the statement whcih said something like

"this will not harm the teeth" and I was confused by it as harm to teeth was the last thing on my mind. May be this is why the notice is there.

Agree with Gagarin though. I have (just had) a hideous chest infection, producing lots and lots of excess mucous over night. My teeth felt and looked disgusting in the mornings covered in cream slime/clag.

gagarin is right hun, i am a dental nurse of 17 yrs and it is only tetracycline that causes brown staining of the teeth, stupid question but has she been using a mouthwash called corsodyl at all???? because that causes tooth discolouration too? if very worried go and see ur dentist to put your mind at rest

Thank god this happened to someone else! I thought I had turned into a horrendous parent and wasn't monitering her teeth brushing properly! I got dd an electric toothbrush and it was gone within a week of her finishing the medication

yummy, my dd is on long term antibiotics (from age of 5) what can be done about the brown staining?? can it be bleached?? poor lamb, I'm also worried about this as my doctor said the same thing.