A closer focus on white spots on teeth, marks, stains, how to get rid of them especially on the fron teeth and after braces, bleaching of teeth, the teeth of the baby, the teeth of the sick, as well as the pictures.
white spots on teeth
White Spots on Teeth
White spots on teeth are the marks that are found on teeth that looks brighter and very opaque than the rest of the teeth.
Braces patients who obtain white spots on the teeth during the orthodontic treatment need to understand what to do to so as prevent very white spots from forming. Braces patients also need to understand how white spots may be treated.
White spots on teeth indicates the initial stage of a cavity. Specifically, the white spots are the areas of hypomineralization on the teeth—which are the areas on the enamel surface that has lost the hard minerals.
A white spot then forms when acid starts to dissolve the mineralized areas of a tooth.
As acid then attacks a tooth, thousands of the small holes are then created in the tooth’s enamel. These very small holes then give the tooth a chalky-white appearance which is characteristic of white area.
Getting rid of white spots on teeth is crucial as the bacteria in the plaque produce acid that will dissolve teeth. The risk of getting the white spots is higher during braces, but white spots can happen without any orthodontic treatment.
Orthodontists are able to predict the chances of getting white spots as we know that the plaque leads to white spots around the braces and are much aware of the risk factors. Risk factors for obtaining white spots are poor oral hygiene before the braces, starting of the braces before middle school and being male.
- Tooth decay (hypocalcification)
Tooth decay (is one of the most common reasons of white spots and it’s due to the loss of mineral content in the teeth. There are several causes of tooth decay such as the ones listed below.
Poor oral hygiene leads to a buildup of dental plaque and this may cause the breakdown of teeth that can look like the white spots in the enamel.
Acidic drinks may strip the mineral from the teeth, even if it is sugar free. The loss of minerals may cause the appearance of the white spots on teeth. The initial stage of treatment is to stop drinking of such drinks immediately and then replace them with water where possible.
A diet that is very high in sugar can lead to white spots on teeth that normally develop into a decay. The initial stage of treatment is a change in the diet, limiting the amount of sugar that you eat.
A dry mouth can cause the saliva to become acidic and the loss of mineral from the teeth. Most of the things like the medications, dehydration as well as medical conditions can lead to dry mouth. A diagnosis of what is leading to the dry mouth is very important and if things can be changed like different medication, then it’s crucial to do so.
Stomach acid is much damaging to the teeth and can lead to white spots on teeth. Gastric reflux is one of the most common reasons as to why we can get acid damage to the teeth. Conditions like the morning sickness, sickness that causes vomiting as well as bulimia can also cause white spots on the teeth.
In all of the given examples of tooth decay, it’s crucial that you visit the dentist. Ask for a dental exam using radiographs, a thorough scale and then clean using oral hygiene instruction, and then the treatment of the white spots. It’s then important to return for a regular visits with the general dentist for maintenance.
- Fluorosis
Fluorosis happens when you intake excess fluoride whilst the teeth are being formed in the first eight years of the life. It tends to affect most of the teeth and can range from mild white spots or lines to brown spots. It can also make the enamel very rough and pitted.
Treatment is also found with the dentist and it also depends on the severity of the teeth condition.
Mild fluorosis may be treated with the tooth whitening as well as the micro-abrasion, assisting the white spots can fade into the natural tooth colour.
Severe fluorosis involves the use of composite resin white fillings or the porcelain veneers. If the enamel is pitted then you can be much more susceptible to the tooth decay and it’s very important to see the general dentist more regularly for check-ups and the x-rays.
- Genetic disorders
Amelogenesis Imperfecta is a genetic disorder that normally disturbs the development of teeth. It can affect the baby as well as the adult teeth, and is brought about when the enamel is forming and the proteins malfunction during the process.
It can cause an increase risk of tooth decay and the tooth sensitivity and if you suspect you or even a family member are suffering from the condition, seeking diagnosis and the treatment with the general dentist is required.
- Trauma
Sometimes a single tooth may have a very white spot in its enamel that can be brought about by trauma to the area or even a disturbance to the formation of the enamel whilst the tooth is still developing. It is very common on the front teeth.
A visit to the general dentist to look at the area is crucial and at times micro-abrasion and teeth whitening may assist to lessen the appearance. In some other situations treatment may involve the use of the composite resin fillings or even porcelain veneers so as to mask the spot and blend it with the other teeth.
- Celiac disease
Celiac disease is a condition that the gluten can’t be in any way tolerated. But it can also have manifestations other than the gastrointestinal problems.
Celiac disease can lead to white spots while the enamel is still forming and this can be one of the first markers of the disease in infants. Celiac disease may also affect the enamel of the teeth leading to white spots and the defects.
It can appear like the condition of fluorosis or even tetracycline antibiotic stains. But if there is no better reason for the two conditions then a possible referral to the dentist for further testing for celiac disease can be warranted.
Unfortunately the tooth defects are much more permanent and warrant treatment like the teeth whitening, micro-abrasion or porcelain veneers in the older children or even the adults to treat the white spots.
- Medications
Antibiotics like the tetracycline and the doxycycline can lead to white spots in teeth if they are given to an infant whose teeth are still developing.
This type of discoloration tends to affect many teeth and the treatment is the tooth whitening, composite resin bonding as well as porcelain veneers.
If you are much concerned about any of the white spots on teeth then you should seek a diagnosis from the general dentist. Once you understand the reason for the spots then the treatment might be administered from a range of options like the teeth whitening, composite resin white fillings and the porcelain veneer bonding.
White Spots on Teeth after Braces
white spots on teeth after braces
A very common problem that can happen when a patient has braces is normally the formation of the white spots during the treatment. When the braces are done away with, some patients can have unsightly white spots and they can wonder why they are there.
Some patients are much surprised and they shouldn’t be. The orthodontist will watch and warns promptly when white spots are still forming. The white spots on teeth are the decalcified places of the teeth where plaque was then allowed to stay for longer period of time.
While undergoing orthodontic treatment, white spots on teeth might develop if the plague is then allowed to remain around the brackets and then along the gum line for a longer period of time without any proper brushing or flossing.
Good oral hygiene is important during the treatment. Since the bonding material that sticks to the bracket to each tooth creates and an air tight seal, then you seldom observe any white marks under the braces but all around the braces and even along the gum line after braces are extracted.
When you ingest food and the drink, the pH can drop below 5.6. This is the critical threshold when cavities start to happen. If the plague lies around the braces for a long period of time, then decalcification or the white marks occurs.
White Spots on Teeth after Bleaching
All the teeth whitening formula is an acidic medium. Depending on the condition of the tooth enamel, the formula can lead to significant variations in the result. White spots on the teeth after the whitening are one of the very common side-effect. While the experts suggest that it is not harmful, it is normally attributed to loss of water from the tooth enamel during the process of chemical reaction.
Also, uneven surface of the enamel of the tooth may also lead to white spots on the tooth.
As per the experts, white spots are due to decalcification that is observed during the early stage of the tooth decay. During the start stage of tooth decay, some of the areas on the enamel are much softer than all other areas. While the areas are not much apparent before the whitening process, they can become obvious after the application of any whitening formula. But experts suggest that the whitening process doesn’t aggravate this condition, it just makes it very obvious.
Experts are also of the opinion that the white spots on teeth is not due to the whitening process but only become very noticeable after the whitening process. While some suggest that re-hydration of the teeth might deal with about 60% of such white spots, not all hypo-calcified spots go away naturally.
Experts have also recommended a new process of re-mineralization of the enamel. The treatment then focuses on use of amorphous calcium phosphate on the teeth for a period of about two weeks. One should thus note that the treatment regimen requires to be performed by a very qualified dentist and it cannot be performed at home.
White Marks on Teeth
If you wake up in the morning and find out that the color of teeth is a little splotchy, you are not alone. Most of the people have chalky white marks on teeth, especially on the top front teeth, throughout the beginning of the day.
These white marks are indications of dehydration. If you drink a lot of water during the morning, by lunchtime or even sooner, then the teeth will return to the normal shade of the white. Our bodies show the effects of what occurs when we do not drink a lot of water. But, it may take days or weeks to observe changes or that normal bodily functions are acting abnormal. With the teeth, the side effects of no water indicates much sooner. Within few hours, sometimes.
White Stains on Teeth
white stains on teeth
Teeth whitening doesn’t cause white tooth stains, but if the teeth already have the white stains brought about by hypocalcification, then the tooth whitening could make them very visible. Hypocalcification is the loss of calcium in the enamel, which causes discoloration.
Hypocalcification is brought about by the exposure to too much fluoride, a diet high in sugar or acid, heavy plaque, and often is visible when orthodontic bands and the brackets are extracted. Getting rid of the spots may be difficult, as some of tooth whitening procedures can lead to the hypocalcified areas to appear much whiter, making the difference in color even very apparent.
White Spots on front Teeth
Hypomineralization, with regard to the teeth, refers to the effect of too much exposure to fluoride; in bones, it refers to the effect of much calcium. Depending on the time of exposure and the high fluoride, the result can be mottling of the tooth, which indicates up initially as the white spots on teeth. These progress into permanently stained, brown mottled teeth due to the enamel that has become subject to decay – this also causes the formation of caries or cavities. As the tooth becomes very porous, its porosity is increased in relation to the degree of fluorosis.
White Spots on Baby Teeth
Baby teeth, also known as primary teeth, are usually off-white or even ivory. Baby teeth may become discolored for several reasons, including:
- Inadequate brushing. If baby teeth aren’t brushed properly, bacteria (plaque) might form on the teeth — which may cause white spots on teeth.
- Medication use. Infant medications that has iron, such as supplemental vitamins, can lead to dark stains on the baby teeth. Taking the antibiotic tetracycline during pregnancy can lead to a child to have discolored baby teeth, too.
- Tooth or gum injury. Trauma to baby teeth or gums can lead to discoloration, often giving baby teeth a pink or gray tint.
- Weak enamel. A genetic problem with the enamel formation might cause discolored baby teeth.
White Spots on Teeth when Sick
A widespread infection during infancy can lead to white spots on teeth of the bay. Conditions like the as newborn hepatitis and some types of heart disease can have the same effect.
White spots can appear on your teeth if you are breathing through your mouth. Your teeth become dried out causing the white spots to appear. They should go away after the teeth become moist for a few hours.
How to get Rid of White Spots on Teeth
white marks on teeth
These unnaturally bright spots on teeth may or may not show any decay of the teeth depending on the underlying cause. Thus, before you get to know how remove white spots on teeth, you must understand what causes them.
· Make Remineralizing Toothpaste at Home
This homemade toothpaste has such basic elements like calcium that is undoubtedly required for a stronger and the healthier teeth and its enamel. The Diatomaceous Earth in it has several trace minerals and thus very important in remineralization of teeth with white spots. But, it can be a little abrasive so if you don’t like it don’t apply it as you are also putting in baking soda in the toothpaste. Baking soda will subtly give you the abrasion that is required by the teeth to get rid of white spots along with balancing of the pH levels of the mouth.
·Avoid Phytic Acid Foods to Remineralize Teeth
Phytic acid is a recommended mineral blocker. Certain plant-based foods store phosphorus in them in the form of the phytic acid. This phytic acid when bind to other minerals like the manganese or iron, both of them form a compound known as phytate. Human body don’t have the enzymes that is required to break down phytates. Thus, these minerals pass out of the body without being absorbed. While a little phytic acid provides with certain health benefits, more of it can be a health hazard as it blocks all the minerals that may be used by the body.
How to Remove White Spots on Teeth, Treatment
- Use about 37% phosphoric acid gel to white spot lesions (15 seconds to 30 seconds, no longer than one minute); Be very conservative when etching, you can re-etch a second time if necessary; rinse.
- Use the etch material on the white spot lesion that is being treated, not the entire tooth surface.
- For micro abrasion, gently pumice for about 10 to 30 seconds, non-fluoridated, non-glycerin pumice — suggest “Flour of Pumice”; then rinse.
Further reference;
- Infant and toddler health: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert-answers/baby-teeth/faq-20057765
- White Stains On Teeth After Whitening Treatments: http://www.colgate.com/en/us/oc/oral-health/life-stages/adult-oral-care/article/white-stains-on-teeth-after-whitening-0116
