White spots on the teeth: causes and treatments

White spots on the teeth are a common phenomenon. People with these symptoms are often quite self-conscious about them and try to hide them.

Today, there are treatments that allow to cure this benign pathology, but that some people consider unsightly. Nutridentexplains where this phenomenon of white spots comes from and how to make them disappear.

Where do white spots on the teeth come from?

Let's get rid of the problems of plaque and deposits on the teeth. This is not a pathology, but a lack of dental hygiene. You should brush your teeth after every meal and have one scaling per year at the dentist.

Tooth decay

Tooth decay can be a consequence of poor hygiene, but it can also be due to other causes: inheritance of poor quality teeth, taking medication (especially certain antibiotics), other pathologies that weaken the whole body, etc.

Before becoming dark, the decay may start by forming a spot that is lighter than the tooth. In any case, a cavity cannot be cured without the intervention of a dentist. You need to make an appointment urgently, so that she can be treated with a simple amalgam.

Dental fluorosis

Dental fluorosis is the most common cause of white stains on tooth enamel. This pathology is due to an abuse of fluorides between the ages of 1 and 4, when teeth are beginning to form. The risks are lower after that age, but continue throughout childhood.

Fluoride is good for your teeth, but don't overuse it. This is the reason why fluoride supplements for the youngest children are no longer prescribed as tablets or drops.

Toothpastes are dosed to avoid abuse, but fluoride is also present in the water and salt we use daily in our diet.

Enamel hypoplasia

Hypoplasia concerns the structure of the enamel and causes a great fragility of this protective envelope of the tooth. Weakened enamel forms white spots and becomes extremely vulnerable to bacteria, and therefore to cavities.

Enamel hypoplasia can be related to prenatal phenomena due to the mother's behavior. Some of the most common triggers are taking tetracycline antibiotics during pregnancy and smoking.

Other causes are to be sought in early childhood: premature birth, infantile malnutrition, congenital malformation or deficiency in vitamins A, C and D.

If you suffer from enamel hypoplasia, you must pay attention to your diet, which must contain all the nutrients and vitamins that the body needs. Avoid at all costs sodas and acidic drinks that soften the enamel and make it even more fragile.

Because your enamel is weakened, you must pay special attention to your oral hygiene by brushing your teeth after every meal and by not missing any annual check-up at the dentist. It is crucial to intervene on any problem that arises, before it gets too big. You are advised to use a fluoride-enriched toothpaste.

Can white spots be removed?

Everything that concerns dental hygiene, plaque and tartar, requires brushing after each meal and scaling at the dentist's office to get back on track.

Tooth whitening

In case of pathology, you can proceed to a dental bleaching to remove the white stains. The dentist applies a gel to your teeth and then exposes them to a blue light, usually for one hour. This operation will restore the brilliance of your teeth and you will no longer be able to see the white spots.

Over time, your teeth will naturally become dull, so you may need to repeat the procedure every four or five years.

We have written a detailed review of at-home teeth whitening, which is less expensive than at the dentist.

We especially like the Smile Avenue teeth whitening kit which is both very effective and easy to use:

Dental prostheses

The other, much more radical solution is to place dentures. If your tooth is not structurally damaged, but has white spots that are too obvious to be covered up by whitening, you can have ceramic or resin veneers placed.

They have the advantage of being the same color as your other teeth and of not damaging them, since they are glued to the tooth. They are also shaped to the size and shape of your jaw and look totally natural.

If your tooth is deeply damaged, decayed or even broken, it is more appropriate to have it devitalized in order to place a crown on it, which will solve your problem for good. A crown is the last resort, you must first do everything possible to take care of your teeth and keep them alive.

FAQ

How to remove white stains on teeth?

It depends on the origin of the stains. If the problem is plaque or cavities, a simple scaling at the dentist is sufficient

Why do white spots appear on the teeth?

There are many reasons for the appearance of white spots on the teeth. Among them, there is fluorosis. If the stage of this pathology is mild, only a few white or dull spots appear on the teeth.

How do I know if I have leukoplakia?

Leukoplakia is a pathology that manifests itself by the appearance of white or gray spots on the tongue, gums, inside the cheeks or the bottom of the mouth.