Causes of white spots on teeth

Many dream of having perfect teeth hence the craze for whitening procedures and products that promise to do that and even more. While that can be achieved and even corrected at a price, it’s a good idea to know what can damage your teeth.Unfortunately, over time white spots may start to develop on your teeth causing you to become more self-conscious. The appearance of a chalky white spot on a tooth is the earliest sign of a carious lesion which indicates enamel decalcification. Enamel decalcification occurs when the remineralization process of a tooth is disrupted.Good thing is the white spots can be treated by oil pulling to remineralize, rinsing with green tea, eating vitamin rich foods or using a reminalizing tooth powder.

Here are some of the causes of white spots on teeth you should be aware of.

While the braces themselves do not cause white spots, having poor oral hygiene when you have braces can lead to the white spots once you take them off. This happens after plaque builds up in the hard to reach places when brushing around the braces. To avoid this, incorporate dental floss to your dental hygiene.

Having a dry mouth means that you are not producing enough saliva to balance the pH levels in your mouth. This then encourages bacteria to grow and the acid produced by the bacteria causes the white spots to develop.

Fluorosis is the most common cause of white spots especially in children due to excessive consumption of fluoride before their teeth are fully developed. This condition damages the enamel which then leads to white spots on the teeth.

Acidic foods have been found to cause white spots. These include lemons, vinegar and sour candy. Acidic drinks too such as lemonade and carbonated soda will corrode your enamel leading to white spots on your teeth.

Another main cause of white spots is poor oral hygiene. If you do not brush your teeth or floss regularly, plaque builds up. Bacteria in the mouth then feeds on the plaque causing it to produce acid which in turn corrodes the teeth leading to the white spots.

If your teeth lose minerals, they then develop white spots due to a condition referred to as hypocalcification. In this case, the white spots on the teeth are usually referred to as hypoplasia.