White Spots On The Teeth And How They Can Be Treated
Many people are uncomfortable with the discoloration of their teeth. The change in the color of the tooth material is often caused by food or drink-based stains that have been absorbed by the tooth enamel. These types of stains are temporary can be bleached away using a chemical teeth-whitening product.
Nevertheless, there are dental blemishes that do not respond to whitening products. These blemishes include white spots on the teeth.
Here is a bit of information about white spots on the teeth and how they can be treated.
How Do White Spots Develop?
White spots may develop on the teeth for a number of reasons. Here are a few of them.
Excess Fluoride
White spots may appear on tooth material that is considered healthy. At times, a tooth may be exposed to an excessive amount of fluoride during its development, resulting in a condition called fluorosis.
Although Fluorosis doesn't cause damage to the tooth material, it can bleach the enamel unevenly. Consequently, white spots appear on the teeth.
Decay
White spots may also develop as the teeth are demineralized from decay. When the teeth are exposed to bacterial acids or acids in an ingested food or drink, the corrosive substances dissolve the minerals that make up the enamel. As the minerals are leached from the teeth, white areas may develop on the enamel surface.
Hypoplasia
Hypoplasia develops as the teeth are being formed. The condition, which may be due to malnutrition, preterm birth, or maternal smoking during pregnancy, causes the enamel of the teeth to be unusually thin. As a result, the teeth are more susceptible to stains and decay.
How Are White Spots Treated?
The white spots on the enamel are treated based on the condition of the teeth and the cause of the splotches. Treatments include:
- Enamel microabrasion. The dentist scrapes away a thin layer of tooth enamel to diminish the look of the white spots and help the tooth material appear more uniform.
- Dental bleaching. Although teeth whitening products do not remove the white spots, they can help other areas of the tooth material appear whiter to blend better with the white splotches, making the spots appear less noticeable.
- Veneers. A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that attaches to the front surface of a tooth to conceal underlying blemishes and irregularities. Veneers can conceal the spots.
if you have white spots on your teeth, schedule a consultation with a dentist in your local area.
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