Differences among tetracyclines with respect to the staining of teeth

Abstract

Reports are coming out regularly to warn the medical and dental professions about tooth discoloration, which may be caused by the tetracyclines in antibiotic doses administered to growing children.^1–3 Tetracycline enters the developing tooth substance roughly in proportion to crystal surface area, rather than to calcium content of the tissues.⁴ In therapeutic dosages this does not necessarily lead to inferior calcification of the teeth, though concomitant disease may.⁴ However, upon eruption into the mouth, the teeth first show yellow fluorescence, then become yellow in ordinary light and, later, with aging, may turn brown and unattractive to the naked eye.^5–6 It appears that these undesirable esthetic effects on tooth color differs among the several tetracycline derivatives, and an important task remains to measure it. This communication demonstrates the character and amount of discoloration in rabbit incisors after injection of the different tetracyclines.