Safe Teeth Whitening for Kids at SuperKids Pediatric Dentistry

If you think that your child or teen’s teeth are looking a little bit yellow or discolored, you may be wondering if they can get teeth whitening from a pediatric dentist like Dr. Ben Liu and the team at SuperKids Pediatric Dentistry. Can kids have their teeth whitened like adults? What does the process look like, and how can you make sure your kids whiten their teeth safely?

The answers to these questions are more complex than they may seem. So in this guide, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about teeth whitening, when it’s appropriate for kids and teens, and how to keep your child’s smile bright if whitening isn’t yet an option for them due to their age. Let’s get into it!

What Is Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is a procedure that brightens the outer layer of your child’s teeth by removing surface stains. There are lots of teeth whitening products out there, but they all use the same active ingredients, known as “peroxides.”

Peroxides like carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide are very volatile. This means that they break stains away from teeth when they come into contact with them, restoring the original brightness of the enamel.

Teeth whitening is most effective on extrinsic (outside) stains from things like drinking soda, juice, tea, or energy drinks. It’s not always an option for deeper intrinsic stains, which are usually located within the tooth, though some professional whitening treatments can reach these deeper stains.

Is My Child Old Enough To Get Professional Whitening?

Unless your child is actually a teenager, the answer is “no.” Teeth whitening is not considered to be safe for children because their adult teeth are still growing, developing, and erupting. This means that kids cannot have their teeth whitened until all of their adult teeth have emerged and their tooth enamel has calcified completely.

At the very earliest, this happens around the age of 12, and it’s usually best to wait for your child to be 13 or 14 years old before you start considering teeth whitening. If you try to whiten your child’s teeth before this, you may end up causing permanent damage to their adult teeth and any remaining baby teeth.

If your child is 13-14 or older, they may qualify for professional whitening, but this procedure is still relatively rare. Before recommending teeth whitening services, your child’s pediatric dentist will need to ensure that their mouth is healthy and that their teeth have fully developed.

Understanding Why Kids Might Need Teeth Whitening

So, why would a teenager need to have their teeth whitened, anyway? Here are a few reasons why teeth whitening may be necessary to restore your child’s smile and confidence:

• Removing stains caused by their diet and lifestyle – Excessive consumption of tea, coffee, cola, sports drinks, energy drinks, and even some foods like curry or tomato sauce can stain the teeth over time.
  
  
• Creating an even, bright smile after braces – After your teen gets braces, some slight discoloration around the brackets is a common issue once they're removed. Along with a thorough cleaning, teeth whitening can boost the brightness of their newly-straightened smile.
  
  
• Treating intrinsic tooth stains – Some children may have intrinsic tooth stains caused by past tooth decay, oral injuries, excessive fluoride exposure, or even the use of certain antibiotics.
  
  
• Boosting confidence or self-image – Yellow or discolored teeth can cause self-consciousness and embarrassment, especially in image-conscious teenagers and young adults. If your teenager isn’t happy with their smile because of stains, teeth whitening may be a good option.

Safe Teeth Whitening for Kids – What You Should Know

Still thinking about teeth whitening for your child? Here are a few tips you should follow to ensure their teeth are whitened safely.

Make sure they're old enough for whitening

As mentioned before, children cannot get teeth whitening. Only teenagers (13-14 or older, in most cases) qualify for teeth whitening. Trying to whiten your child’s teeth before they're fully developed can cause serious tooth damage.

Go with professional whitening from a pediatric dentist

For the best results, we recommend choosing in-office whitening from a pediatric dentist at SuperKids Pediatric Dentistry. With five locations throughout the greater DC metro area, we can help your teenager get the bright, white smile they deserve.

Choose at-home whitening options carefully

If your teenager would like to try at-home whitening with a DIY kit, make sure they choose ADA accepted whitening strips, mouthwash, and toothpaste. Whitening products accepted by the ADA are generally accepted to be safe when used according to the packaging instructions.

So if you do go this route, we recommend monitoring your child’s whitening habits closely. Clear the products you choose with their pediatric dentist, and make sure they're using them safely and aren’t overwhitening their teeth.

Skip “natural remedies” that don’t work or may be dangerous

Some parents may try “natural” whitening methods for their child’s teeth, like oil pulling, swishing with lemon juice, or using banana peels. Mostly, these treatments are completely ineffective. But some recommended methods, like using charcoal or baking soda, could actually damage your child’s teeth due to excessive abrasiveness.

All in all, it’s best to avoid these methods entirely, and to stick to clinically-proven whitening from a pediatric dentist, or to use specialized ADA-accepted whitening products like Crest Whitestrips.

Our Top Teeth Whitening Tips for Parents

As a parent, we know that you just want the best for your child or teenager. So here are a few more helpful teeth whitening tips that can help you make the best decision when it comes to whitening their smile!

Don’t worry if their adult teeth look more yellow

As mentioned, kids can’t have their teeth whitened until they're at least 13-14 in most cases. But if your child has started losing their baby teeth and getting their adult teeth, you may have noticed that their new permanent teeth look kind of yellow.

However, this is totally normal! Compared to baby teeth, adult teeth have thicker dentin (the yellowish layer below the enamel) and more translucent enamel. This makes them look a lot more yellow than baby teeth.

So don’t worry. While their adult teeth may look more yellow at first, they will become a bit brighter over time as the enamel calcifies. Also, once your child loses all of their remaining baby teeth, all of their teeth will be the same color, which will ensure a brighter and more confident smile!

Consult with their dentist before using any whitening product

If your teenager has expressed interest in DIY teeth whitening or professional whitening, make sure to schedule a consultation with their pediatric dentist, such as Dr. Ben Liu or one of our other specialists at SuperKids Pediatric Dentistry. We specialize in safe teeth whitening for kids who are old enough to qualify!

During this consultation, we’ll perform a comprehensive oral exam and assessment to make sure whitening is a good choice for your teen based on their oral health, level of staining, their root cause of tooth discoloration, and their overall oral development. 

Take steps to support whiter teeth at home

Wondering how to whiten kids' teeth at home? Chemical whitening treatments are not safe for younger kids. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait until your child is 13-14 to encourage a brighter smile. If your child is too young for teeth whitening, there are still a few ways you can make sure their teeth stay bright:

• Maintain great oral hygiene – Brushing twice or even three times a day helps prevent the buildup of plaque and tartar. These can discolor teeth on their own, and also cause stains from food and drinks to stick to teeth more readily. Maintaining proper oral hygiene will ensure that your child’s smile stays bright!
  
  
• Switch to whitening toothpaste – Kids shouldn’t use whitening toothpaste that contains peroxide. But there are plenty of “whitening toothpaste” products out there that are free of peroxide, but contain more abrasives like baking soda. These can help remove more surface stains from your little one’s teeth. Just make sure you’re choosing an ADA-accepted product!
• Watch what they eat (and drink) – Try to cut back on sweet, staining drinks like cola, sports drinks, energy drinks, and juice. Your child should drink water instead. Also, incorporating more fresh fruits and veggies into their diet can help “scrub” away some surface stains. Fibrous, crunchy foods like carrots and celery are basically nature’s toothbrushes!

Don’t skip professional teeth cleanings

Twice-yearly teeth cleanings from SuperKids Pediatric Dentistry help fight back against cavities. But that’s not all! Professional teeth cleaning and polishing from a dentist helps remove plaque, tartar, and surface stains from teeth that your child can’t remove with at-home brushing alone.

By making sure that your child visits our office at least twice a year for professional cleanings, you’ll be able to make sure their baby and adult teeth stay nice and bright, all without the need for chemical-based teeth whitening treatment!

Explore Whitening Options At SuperKids Pediatric Dentistry

At SuperKids Pediatric Dentistry, your child’s oral health is our top priority. And while we only offer professional whitening for teenagers, we can always provide teeth cleanings, dietary recommendations, and hygiene tips that will help younger kids maintain a healthy and bright smile.

So don’t wait. Book your child’s first visit with our team today. With offices in Potomac, Alexandria, Sterling, Mt. Vernon, and Rockville, we make expert dental care convenient throughout the greater Washington, DC area. Contact us online to find the practice closest to you and to get started!