White spots on teeth
Why does my baby have white spots on his teeth?
According to a good friend of ours, Dr Kim Davies from Bytes Dental Clinic http://www.bytesdental.com.au/ "White spots appearing on an infants teeth may be related to conditions that occurred during the gestation period, usually a fever experienced by the mother. It is linked to the maturation phase of the enamel as the crystal forms within the teeth. It starts as soft tissue cells, then Calcium and minerals (hydroxyapetate) forms by the cells - some make enamel and some make dentine ( the yellow core of the tooth). The late stage of maturation is the removal of water from the crystal to solidify it. If there is a fault in any stage of this process then white or yellow spots appear. Fluoride that becomes embedded in the matrix creates a different kind of enamel called fluoroapetate which is much tougher than hydroxyapetate and therefore more resistant to decay."
Other possible causes of white spots on the teeth:
- Tetracycline (antibiotics) may cause tooth discoloration (due to Calcium destruction).
- Dental hypoplasia - an excessive intake of Fluoride may damage the enamel-forming cells (ameloblasts) of the teeth. This can cause the ename to become porous and reduce the mineral content of the teeth. This condition is known as Dental Fluorosis and is characterized by a loss of Enamel and the formation of white spots or yellow-brown staining.
- May be hereditary, as in amelogenesis imperfecta.
- Local infection, childhood fevers or congenital syphilis.
- Chlorhexidine mouthwashes may cause staining of the enamel of the teeth