Causes of White Spots on Teeth?
A healthy, pleasant smile is something that everyone desires. But a smile speckled with white spots on the teeth is certainly not desirable. It can inhibit one from smiling freely and can also serve as a blow to their confidence. But what actually causes our teeth to develop white stains on them? The reasons can be a myriad of them and that’s what we are going to discuss in this blog post.
Fluorosis
As they say, excess of anything is bad; what would be surprising to know is that it also holds true for things that are good to our health. Fluorosis is a best example of this axiom. It occurs when inordinate amount of fluoride is consumed while the teeth are in their developmental stage, which is during the first 8 years of your life. Effects can range from just visible white blotches or lines to yellow and brown stains, which is definitely not good and is an indicator of severe case of fluorosis.
Whether mild or severe, in both the cases it is requisite that you see your dentist and follow the treatment as advised by him/her. The milder version of fluorosis can be treated using teeth whitening and microabrasion (involves removing a layer of enamel), whereas the severe version would require more time and patience. Composite resin white fillings and custom fabricated porcelain veneers can be used to conceal white spots. However, dented teeth call for regular treatment as it leaves your teeth vulnerable to decay.
Tooth Decay
Hypocalcification occurs when the mineral content making our teeth’s protective covering (enamel) falls short. Inadequate amounts of minerals cause teeth to develop spots of varying color – from white to chalky white to yellow to brown. Tooth decay can be a result of a host of reasons, including the following –
Aerated/acidic drinks – these drinks strip minerals from enamel and pave the way for unsightly white spots.
Dry mouth – dry mouth equals to no saliva which equals to pH imbalance, which at the end results in the depletion of mineral content of the enamel.
Other causes like dental plaque, stomach acid, sugar excess diet, etc. can also majorly contribute to tooth decay.
It is again, extremely important that you visit your dentist and get your teeth examined completely and adhere to the instructions and treatment religiously.
Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a digestive disorder occurring due to damage caused to the small intestine by a protein called gluten. It prevents the body from absorbing nutrients that are essential for our overall health. Celiac disease is commonly seen in children and happens when the teeth are in the developmental stage. It leads to the formation of white spots and pits. Celiac disease may be conflated with fluorosis, which often leads to lifelong teeth defects.
It therefore, becomes imperative to visit a pediatric dentist when you suspect the cause of white spots on your child’s teeth to be anything else other than fluorosis. Microabrasion, teeth whitening, fillings, and veneers are some of the ways that can be used to treat white spots.
Other causes of white spots on teeth are genetic disorders, trauma (when a disturbance or injury causes a tooth to develop white patch), and antibiotics like tetracycline and doxycycline. Whatever may be the cause of teeth discoloration, what is liberating to know is that there are ways to get rid of it. The only thing that you need to do is to visit your dentist without procrastinating!
