Causes and Treatments for White Spots
There is no serious medical concern involve when there are white spots appearing on teeth. When you see them they can bother you in a sense you don’t know where they come from and what they portend. So let us look at some of the causes of white spots on teeth and what we can do.
You may have dental fluorosis. This is usually observed in people, who when younger as children, had too much fluoride use. It may be caused by fluoride treatments and high use of fluoride toothpaste, and may or may not be coupled with a highly fluoridated water system. The condition is found in a child’s permanent teeth before their eruption, or during the first eight years of life. It is irreversible.
Another is enamel hypoplasia. Just like in fluorosis, it happens while the permanent teeth is still forming. It is caused by improper development of the teeth enamel, and later in life will make one highly prone to tooth decay and cavities.
Poor dental hygiene is another, especially on those wearing braces. Also when the diet is high in acidic and sugary foods.
Treatments
Depending on the cause, there are several treatments that can be offered. Your dentist may go for enamel microabrasion, a procedure that uses some acidic and abrasive chemicals and a micromotor to remove the white spots. This is usually followed by bleaching that makes the resultant teeth color more uniform in appearance.
In-office teeth whitening can be done to reduce the obvious appearance of white spots and other stains. These use stronger bleaching formulas that work faster and safer than if over-the-counter kits bought at drugstores or supermarkets.
You can opt for dental veneers, a more costly option yet may be indicated if the white spots are more pronounced. Sometimes called porcelain veneers, they are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials that are bonded to the front of the teeth that have white spots, brown stains, or are otherwise chipped or damaged. Veneers can change the color, shape, size, or length of teeth if need be.
Solutions For Spots in Bellevue
If you see white spots and it concerns you, come in for a consultation at Overlake Dental in Bellevue by our dentists. Our friendly staff and dental experts will assist you with blemishes, stains or white spots on teeth.