The color change of primary teeth following iron supplements usage

Iron supplementation plays an important role in growth and development of children,thay are commonly prescribed by physicians. However, iron causes persistent discoloration of primary teeth, which creates some concerns for the parents and leads to frequent dental visits. Many parents discontinue iron supplementation after this occurrence. This study aimed to assess the color change of primary teeth following the use of four types of iron supplements available in the Iranian pharmacopeia. Primary teeth showed significant color change after 24 and 48 hours of immersion in the solutions (P0.05). In this in vitro experimental study, 82 primary incisors (164 tooth surfaces) with intact crowns were collected and randomly divided into five groups (one control and four experimental groups). The color of teeth was measured at baseline (time 0) and at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after immersion in solutions containing 250 mL of artificial saliva in the control group and artificial saliva plus iron supplements containing 100 mg of iron in the experimental groups using Vita Easy Shade Compact. Data were analyzed using ANOVA. Pairwise comparisons were made using Tukey?s test and LSD test via SPSS version 22 It is important for the dentist and parents to know the cause of their teeth staining. All drops change the color of the primary teeth. The potential of reducing the impact of iron drops on hard tooth tissues should be addressed by all health professionals.