Although stains on your teeth are pretty common, and most people know how to get rid of them, white spots are a completely different issue. If you have them and are worried, keep reading to learn more about what they are, the reasons for them, the treatment, and how you can prevent them.
What are the white spots on my teeth?
The white spots on your teeth might be a result of dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis is a cosmetic condition that is caused by overexposure to fluoride during teeth-forming years. Usually, these are the first eight years of life- when most permanent teeth are developing. When teeth start to come in, the ones affected are more discolored than others.
Possible reasons for dental fluorosis
Fluorosis is usually caused by an excessive intake of fluorides when the enamel layers of permanent teeth are just starting to form. Although fluorides are safe and can be consumed in proper amounts, overuse can lead to these white spots on your teeth. Fluorides can be found in food, water, air, and even toothpaste. This is why it’s imperative to stop children from swallowing toothpaste- especially when their teeth are developing.
There might also be other causes like intaking a high amount of fluoride supplements when it was not needed in early childhood. Since water and juices already have the right amount of fluorides present, using supplements creates more problems than helping.
Treatment of dental fluorosis
There are several different treatments that you can find to get rid of dental fluorosis. However, the treatments vary from person to person. Each type of dental fluorosis is very different as some are mild while others are more severe. It’s harder to treat the severe ones, but here are a couple of options available to reduce it.
Teeth whitening
Teeth whitening or bleaching can help balance the color of your tooth’s enamel. It lightens the color of your entire tooth so that the white spots can match the color of your teeth. Get your teeth whitened at Welling Corner, where your happiness is our top priority!
Dental bonding
A tooth-colored resin material is applied in teeth bonding, which bonds to the tooth and restores a person’s smile. This option can fill in cavities and also helps conceal any white spots.
Porcelain Veneers
In the case of severe fluorosis, your dentist will recommend porcelain veneers to you. These are custom-made shells with thin layers of ceramic material which are permanently bonded to the surface of your teeth. This results in natural-looking, stain-resistant teeth.
Prevention of these white spots
You might be thinking that you avoiding fluorides entirely will prevent this from happening, but that’s not the case. To prevent fluorosis, it’s essential to practice good dental hygiene. You should always brush and floss daily.
Excessive fluoride exposure in young children is a huge cause, which is why you should get in touch with a dentist. The parent will have to monitor the child’s brushing habits and teach them not to swallow toothpaste at any time. They should also make sure that the child isn’t drinking too many beverages daily.
