Are Children Having Teeth Whitening Done?

As long as we are talking about whitening permanent "adult" teeth the age of the patient is not critical.  In all likelihood we are talking about 8 years old and up, as this is the average age for having enough permanent teeth to even consider whitening. Having said that, common sense and professional ethics dictates we make well informed decisions prior to treating any patient.  A child actress, singer or bullied child may very well be a candidate for whitening.  On the other hand, the child of a parent who is unrealistic in what a "normal" childhood smile looks like would not.  I have personally recommended the OTC whitening  (crest white-strips) to a 10 year old child actress, who felt that her brown stained front teeth was hurting her chances in auditions.  I am comfortable with my decision and would not hesitate to pursue more aggressive bleaching options if she and her family desire.  The discussion at a young age whether to whiten usually concerns the discrepancy between a child's baby teeth and adult teeth.  Adult teeth are much darker and it can be dramatic difference for a first time parent.  What the parent is usually asking is really "is my child's smile normal?"  Once you reassure parents that yes, this is a normal transition period, and lets re-evaluate once all the adult teeth come in, most parents thank you and the issue is put aside for many years.  Hope this helps.

Usually children are content with their smile and don't even think about whitening.  However, I have had some special situations which have called for action.  One child in particular was being teased becasue she had brown spots on her new front teeth.  (Age 6)  I suggested trying Crest Whitening Strips from the drug store, cut in half so they just fit over  the 2 front teeth. The parents did  this until all the Crest Whitening Strips were used.  The results were great becasue Crest Whitening seems to be very effective in taking out brown discoloration on the younger generation.  My biggest issue is when parents are worried about color differences between the baby teeth and permanent teeth and discuss it in front of the child.  Baby teeth are often whiter than the new permanent teeth resulting in  a color difference. I always ask if the child is conscience about their smile.  Sometimes the parents cause the child to be upset and concerned about the color difference.  As a routine, I like chldren to wait to whiten until after having orthodontic treatement or all of their permanent teeth have errupted-I explain this to all parents.  As with all treatment, there are exceptions and it is up to the dentist to discuss what they recommend.