When new things pop up in our mouth, we can be worried or have a few questions. Most of the issues that might pop up and be concerning are often common occurrences and can be explained easily enough. One of these common issues are white spots appearing on your teeth. If you notice white spots popping up on your teeth, it’s not a cause for panic. There are many reasons why white spots have popped up on your teeth and there are ways to remedy the issue.
Too Much Fluoride
Fluoride is a naturally occurring substance that strengthens the enamel on our teeth. This protects our teeth from decaying and makes them stronger in general. However, if too much fluoride is introduced to a person, it can cause fluorosis. This results in white spots appearing on the teeth.
Medicines
Some medicines such as antibiotics, can cause white spots to appear on a person’s teeth. Some antibiotics or medications can’t be used while a woman is pregnant or with young children specifically because it can do this to the patient’s teeth. Usually, if a doctor prescribes a medication, they will give specific directions. If followed properly, there shouldn’t be any issues. However, if the problem starts to occur, ask your doctor and visit your dentist to help with the issue.
Poor Oral Hygiene
When a good oral health routine is followed, this allows bad bacteria to be removed from the teeth. If this bad bacteria is left to grow and isn’t removed, it can cause a discoloration of the teeth. For example, when braces are worn, there are metal brackets glued to the front of the teeth. This can make it difficult to reach every area in the mouth that needs to be cleaned. If bad oral health habits are used during the time a patient has braces, bad bacteria can build up around the bracket. When removed, the teeth may have square, white spots left on the teeth where the tooth was protected by the bracket. Unfortunately, the rest of the tooth was left discolored because of the poor habits.
Nutrition
As with many health issues, white spots can be caused by a lack of good nutrition. For example, a lack of vital vitamins and minerals can leave white spots on teeth. Further, a poor diet such as too much junk food or highly acidic substances can also cause white spots to appear on teeth.
Can White Spots Be Fixed?
Yes, there are a few options to fixing these white spots when they pop up on your teeth. Many dental professionals will tell you that preventative care is the best way to avoid white spots on teeth. However, if the damage has already been done, there’s still hope. Options for fixing white teeth include bleaching or a tooth whitening treatment. This can help level out the color of your teeth so the white spots no longer appear. Resin can also be used as a filling of sorts. The white spots are “filled” with resin or infiltrated in order for the color of the tooth to be matched with the rest of the teeth. Other options include special toothpastes, polishing, bonding, and veneers. It’s important to note that a dental professional with recommend the least invasive action first before suggesting other more extreme fixes. This will save money, time, and unnecessary trauma and treatment. What your dentist suggests will often depend on how the white spots were caused in the first place.
