4 Causes and Treatment Options for White Spots on Baby Teeth
Your baby’s first teeth are one of the sweetest memories for all the right reasons.
After the painful teething process, the child’s teeth finally come out.
As a parent, we take proper care of those tiny teeth. From brushing their teeth twice daily to making wise food choices, we ensure they keep a happy, healthy smile.
But sometimes, oral problems can take a toll on kids’ dental health, resulting in difficulties. White spots on baby teeth are certainly one of them.
Worry not if you also witness these spots on your 11- or 12-month-old baby. Like shark teeth, white spots are a common dental problem in children; anyone can suffer from it, even adults.
So, instead of panicking, let’s discover the causes of tooth spots and what remedies you can try.
But the first thing to do after you see these signs is to book an appointment with the best dental specialists at Palm Valley Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics.
White Spots on Infant Teeth – A Common Dental Malady
The appearance of whitish color patches or patterns on the teeth surface usually appears closer to the gum line. These can be the earliest possible signs of common dental issues in children, so don’t ignore them.
The good part is that the problem is quite curable, and you don’t have to worry about it. There are many ways of treating them. But before this, let’s talk about the common causes behind the appearance of white teeth spots.
Suggested Read: 5 Effective Ways for Treating Black Gums in Children
4 Reasons Behind the White Spots on Infant Teeth
You must be wondering who the culprit behind the appearance of these tiny spots on your teeth is. Let’s answer this quickly! A few reasons that can cause white spots on a child’s teeth are as follows:
1- Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is no less than a nightmare as it adversely affects the child’s oral health. However, you can control it if you know early tooth decay signs.
One of the signs of tooth decay in children appears as the white spots near the gum line. During early tooth decay, teeth start losing their minerals because of the damage to the enamel (outer surface).
When the tooth decay begins, you see a chalky or dry spot-like appearance on the tooth. However, if you don’t treat it in time, the spots may turn darker, and the damage can spread.
Suggested Read: 5 Best Home Remedies to Cure Tooth Cavities
2- Too Much Fluoride
Fluoride toothpaste, fluoridated water, and fluoride-rich foods are the common ways to get sufficient fluoride. We need fluoride for better oral health as it prevents tooth decay.
But do you know that excessive fluoride exposure can be one of the causes behind white spots on baby teeth? Yes, this could happen when your child cannot spit the toothpaste properly after brushing teeth.
The phenomenon is DENTAL FLUOROSIS, where teeth enamel changes color in response to overexposure to fluoride minerals.
3- Low Calcium Diet
Another reason you end up seeing white spots on your teeth is because of the poor calcium content in your diet.
Calcium is essential for the proper growth of our bones and teeth. However, a low calcium diet can weaken enamel, which is more susceptible to damage. The result is white spots.
4- A Thin Enamel!
Enamel is the outermost protective covering of our teeth that acts as a shield. But if the enamel is not there?
No one will save our teeth, and they will get damaged. In some individuals, the condition naturally exists.
Their teeth enamel is not thick enough to protect against the outside damage. We name this condition as Enamel Hypoplasia.
The condition may result in white spots on teeth in babies. Also, it can lead to early tooth decay and increased sensitivity.
Suggested Read: Explore Grey Tooth Causes and Effective Solutions
4 Ways to Get Rid of White Spots on Teeth
Now, you must be looking for ways to eliminate these tiny spots. Here is what you can do to bring back your child’s old smile and overcome the trouble.
1- Fluoride Application
If your white teeth spots are not because of the fluorosis, your dentist may apply fluoride on your tooth surface. It will help you to overcome teeth demineralization and minimize the damage to enamel.
2- Microabrasion
No matter what tooth discoloration you have, microabrasion is an effective treatment option. It simply removes the damaged part of the enamel to overcome the problem of uneven tooth coloration.
3- Teeth Whitening
The procedure usually comes after the microabrasion procedure. You have to go for different teeth whitening agents such as creams or gels. Teeth whitening will help you get a more even teeth appearance.
4- Composite Resin
Another way to overcome the problem of white tooth spots in children is the composite resin. These resins help to restore the parts of enamel and reduce the appearance of tooth spots.
Composite resins are a preferable treatment option when the spots are due to enamel hypoplasia.
7 Tips to Prevent White Spots on Teeth
Here are the tips to prevent white spots on baby teeth.
- Follow good oral hygiene practices that include brushing (2x a day) and flossing (as soon as their teeth are spaced)
- Limit their consumption of sugar and sticky foods that could increase their chances of tooth decay.
- Include calcium-rich foods in their diet.
- Use toothpaste in smaller quantities and properly rinse your baby’s mouth after brushing.
- Use fluoride-free water for drinking and preparing formula milk.
- Keep an eye on fluoride content in their routine by checking mineral levels in tap water.
- Get their regular dental checkups.
Suggested Read: How to Protect Your Teeth from Sugar Bugs
Get Rid of Teeth Spots and Wear Your Brighter Smile
White spots on the baby teeth can generally affect the overall appearance of baby teeth. These spots can appear for several reasons.
However, there are many ways to treat these spots. But rather than treatment, let’s focus on prevention to protect those pretty smiles.
