Having a good set of teeth is key for confidence and for health, too, but now an increasing number of children are developing an unusual dental condition that is causing their smiles to crumble.It used to be very rare, with not much known about it, but now more children than ever are developing the unusual condition.According to the Daily Mail, one in six children is now being left with yellowed, brittle teeth that are breaking apart in their mouths – and it’s all thanks to molar incisor hypomineralisation’ (MIH).MIH is when the protective enamel doesn’t form properly on the teeth, the NHS explains, leaving them at a higher risk of tooth decay and damage. In many cases, patients find that their teeth start to crumble away.

Enamel is mostly made up of minerals such as phosphate and calcium, but with MIH they have higher levels of protein instead.The condition tends to become visible at the age of around six, when the child’s adult teeth emerge.What causes molar incisor hypomineralisation?Most people see damaged teeth and assume it’s down to a lack of brushing, or an excess of sugar along with a bad diet. With MIH, that’s sadly not the case, but the stigma can be real.Instead, it’s caused by how the enamel forms in those crucial early days of childhood and actually has nothing to do with oral health. myPediaclinic says research in pediatric dentistry points at the following factors for the most common causes: