Will oral acne antibiotics affect my teeth?

The answer is depending on which oral acne antibiotics we are taking. For example, erythromycin is considered safe for the treatment of acne in pregnant women or children, though they are usually reserved for cases in which acne is severe or acne scarring is an issue. From the point of acne clear and acne care, topical acne treatments are usually considered as our first-line acne therapy.

Oral acne antibiotics such as tetracyclines may cause irreversible yellowish brown staining on our teeth as they are deposited in developing teeth. Also, tetracyclines have been shown to inhibit our bone growth in developing fetuses. Therefore, tetracycline should not be given to women who are breast feeding or pregnant, more so after their 4th month. Tetracycline’s is in the pregnancy category D/X, which means that it is known to be unsafe in pregnancy. As such, it should also not be given to babies or children younger than 8 years of age as staining of the teeth can be a problem in this age group too.