Natural vital staining of the teeth of infants and children

Abstract

Clinical and histologic findings in the teeth of three patients who were jaundiced soon after birth have been presented. In each instance natural vital staining occurred in those teeth which were forming during the period of jaundice. Two of the patients recovered and the bile stain in the deciduous teeth showed no diminution in intensity up to the time that they were exfoliated. The third patient died at 6 1 2 months of age and the unerupted teeth were examined post mortem. In none of the patients was gross or microscopic hypoplasia of enamel or dentine clearly associated with the bile staining. Histologically the staining was found to demarcate particular incremental zones of tooth substance which, especially in the dentine, could be correlated with the clinical history of the variations in severity of jaundice. In addition, certain differences in the vital staining of enamel and dentine were observed and compared with the in vitro staining of these structures. Finally, the direct reaction of bile-stained enamel to the diazo reagent of the van den Bergh test was determined and its possible significance discussed.