A Breakthrough for Treating White Spots on Teeth

More than likely, you or someone you know has “white spots” on their teeth. For years the only way to treat those spots was to remove them with a drill and put bonding over them, or cover the entire tooth with a veneer. Recently however, there has been an incredible breakthrough that allows dentists to treat some of these spots, and turn them back to completely normal looking tooth structure.

White spots on teeth can be caused by many things, but commonly has been called fluorosis by dentists and other dental professionals. Fluorosis can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe and is caused by the ingestion of fluoride, most commonly from drinking water or toothpaste. It occurs during development of the adult teeth between the ages of 1 and 4. People with fluorosis tend to have white spots on many of their front teeth, which can vary in size and shape.

Other causes of white spots on teeth can be related to hypomineralization caused by trauma, chronic infections, or high fevers. Genetic disorders, cavities, or even excessive teeth bleaching can also be responsible for white spots on teeth.

But, the real question is not why are there white spots, but how can your dentist get rid of them with an almost completely non invasive technique? A product called Recaldent in addition to a small amount of fluoride can be applied to the surface of the white spot and within a short period of time the spot in many cases will completely disappear or return to normal enamel. A dentist must first use a mild etch on the surface of the white spot and in some cases lightly polish out any bumps or surface irregularities in the tooth. Then the Recaldent is applied. Recaldent must be reapplied once or twice a day to the affected areas for a period of 2-4 weeks (usually at home by the patient). 

This breakthrough treatment for white spots on teeth is not only less invasive but significantly less expensive and takes very little time. For years people with white spots on their teeth have been told they were poor candidates for teeth whitening because it would only make the white spots more noticeable.  That is no longer the case.

Here is an example of teeth with white spots that were treated for 2 weeks with Recaldent.








Recaldent has also been used to treat other dental issues such as cavity prevention, dry mouth, and tooth sensitivity. Recaldent may not be appropriate in every situation, so it is always best to discuss your options with your dentist.