What Causes White Spots on a Child’s Tooth?

Younger enamel is stronger and less likely to carry the burden of years of staining, but a child’s teeth can still develop white spots. These spots can occur for many reasons, including excess fluoride exposure or an unhealthy diet. Board-certified pediatric dentist Dr. Karrie Lee and the team at WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry in Aubrey, TX offers ICON white spot treatment services to protect your child’s teeth and help restore a seamless smile.

How does an unhealthy diet cause white spots?

Your child’s teeth can develop white spots for many reasons, including from the foods and drinks that they consume. A diet filled with acidic foods, like sodas and citrus fruits, can cause the tooth enamel to weaken and break apart. The acidic plaque formed by these foods can burn off various bits of enamel, producing white spots.

How can excess fluoride harm the teeth?

Fluoride is essential for your child’s teeth, as it strengthens the enamel and protects the teeth from possible breaks. You can find fluoride in many toothpaste products, plus many local water sources in the Aubrey area are treated with fluoride. But excess fluoride consumption from swallowing too much toothpaste when brushing could lead to fluorosis, a condition where the teeth become discolored. Noticeable white spots can appear around the teeth because your child isn’t spitting out the toothpaste after brushing.

How do genetics play a role?

One issue our dentists at WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry have often found involving white spots on teeth is enamel hypoplasia. This issue is a genetic condition where the tooth enamel remains underdeveloped. While bacterial infections or an unhealthy diet might contribute to hypoplasia, it is mostly a genetic problem that runs in families.

Can white spots happen with braces?

Children who recently had braces might also have white spots on their teeth. Plaque can build around the brackets and produce white spots that aren’t visible until after the braces are removed.

How are these white spots removed?

Our experts can remove these white spots from your child’s teeth through the ICON white spot treatment process. This child-safe solution uses micro-abrasion to expose the tubules of the tooth, making it easier to target the white spots. A resin material that corrects the tooth’s color will soak into the tooth as the tubules remain open. A light will then help harden the resin to ensure it stays in the tooth. The dentist then polishes the tooth to create a more uniform look.

An average ICON treatment can take about an hour to complete. The timeline is enough to make it easier for your child’s smile to receive the help it deserves.

Contact us today to learn more about ICON treatment in Aubrey, TX

We can help remove white spots from your child’s teeth regardless of how they appear. Dr. Karrie Lee and the rest of the team at WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry in Aubrey, TX can help restore a healthy, happy smile everyone will appreciate. The ICON treatment process is safe for white spots and will preserve how your child’s teeth look. We have after-school hours for kids on weekdays, so contact us today to learn more about our work, and schedule an appointment for help.