Tetracycline teeth stains develop on permanent teeth while they are still forming under the gum line. During development, the drug becomes calcified in the tooth, generating tetracycline tooth stains. Children are susceptible to tetracycline tooth stains from the time they are in utero until the age of 8. Since teeth start to develop before we’re even born, pregnant women should not take tetracycline to prevent the possibility of the drug affecting the unborn baby’s oral health.Gray or brown in color, these deep, dark stains either cover the entire tooth or appear as a pattern of horizontal stripes. Because they form during tooth development, tetracycline teeth stains are embedded in the tooth’s enamel and inner layers. This classifies them as intrinsic stains — discoloration that comes from inside the tooth. Although harmless, tetracycline stains are obvious and permanent, often causing embarrassment and low self-esteem in those who suffer from them.
