Tetracycline effects on children
The effect of tetracycline on the teeth of a child was first noticed in 1956. This effect mostly occurs in children because of the use of this drug during the pregnancy stage and also during the nursing period. This effect occurs when tetracycline binds with the calcium needed for tooth development. The effects of this medication make the newly erupted teeth appear fluorescent yellow initially, thereafter when exposed to sunlight, the color begins to look brownish or grayish over time. The effect may be visible on the whole teeth or sometimes cause horizontal stripes that range from light to dark on the teeth. Exposure to this antibiotic does not only affect the color, it sometimes weakens the enamel of the teeth and further puts the teeth at risk of cavities, and then leads to decay of the teeth.