Posted by Dr. Bill Williams on May 9, 2011 · 4 Comments
Last updated on March 3rd, 2018 at 11:49 am
It might sound like a crazy question but in today’s day and age, children in as young of age groups as 7-10 are in awe of the bright pearly white smiles they see in Hollywood. From television shows and movies, to celebrities and musicians, it’s not shocking that kids start noticing super white smiles. As they go through stages of wanting to be like their celebrity role models you might be surprised when they want the same thing! Let’s be honest, 7-10 year olds are surely not of teeth whitening age!
If you are using an over-the-counter product for teeth whitening, they are typically not recommended for kids under the age of 12. These products are things such as gels, whitening strips and pens. Children are normally permitted to use products such as toothpaste, floss or rinses that have a whitening property. Always check the labels to verify safety for your child’s age. The main thing you should look at is the concentration of the bleaching agent in products.
One thing you should know is permanent teeth are not as white as baby teeth. Eventually your kids will grow into their own special set of teeth that have a unique shape, color and size. If your child has extremely stained or yellow teeth, you should consult your dentist about his or her options.
We recommend 18 years of age is the earliest kids should have professional teeth whitening. There are several reasons for this but the main reason has to do with the fact that the pulpal of the teeth are enlarged and can be damaged prior to this age. To avoid irritation of the gum or pulp of the tooth, 18 really is the best age to consider bleaching your child’s teeth. In the meantime promoting a well balanced diet is very important to the health of your child’s teeth.
Happy Bleaching!
Teeth whitening on anyone makes teeth way to sensitive. I can’t imagine doing it on a child!
Me neither …although given that I’m a coffee-holic I do secretly long for those pearly whites for myself 🙂
Your wish is my command….but you have to come here to do it!
Thanks… even with my non-pearly whites I’m smiling 🙂