White spots on teeth are very common. They may be caused due to a lack of calcium (Hypocalcification) in areas of tooth enamel. There are many reasons for white spots to form including family genetics, wearing braces, enamel erosion due to plaque, fluorosis, acid reflux etc….
Whatever the cause for white spots, as stains inside the tooth are removed the white spots can become more prominent. White spots that previously were covered up by stains can become visible. Usually they tend to start blending in after a few days as the tooth regains moisture and after a few weeks should be close to normal levels. For this reason we recommend to whiten your teeth at least two weeks prior to any major event (i.e. wedding, photo shoot, etc…)
Hypomineralization, with regard to teeth, refers to the effect of too much exposure to fluoride; in bones, it refers to the effect of too much calcium. Depending on the time of exposure and the “peak amounts” of fluoride, the result may be mottling of the tooth, which shows up initially as “white spots.” As the tooth becomes more porous, its porosity is increased relative to the degree of fluorosis.
Fluorosis, the most common cause of white spots, damages the enamel of the tooth from excessive intake of fluoride mainly from children before their teeth are fully developed. During the growth process of a tooth, excessive calcium gets released which results in white spots on the enamel, appearing unattractive particularly if the front teeth are exhibiting the calcium deposits.
White spots can also appear because of mineral loss in the tooth, a condition referred to as hypocalcification, with the white spots themselves referred to as hypoplasia. Another known cause originates from poor oral health around braces, as white spots can develop once braces are removed.
If the teeth have white spots on them before bleaching, these spots will appear whiter during the first few days. However, the contrast between the spots and the rest of the tooth will be gradually less over the course of the treatment and eventually they will not be noticeable.
You may notice new white spots occurring on the teeth while you are undertaking the bleaching treatment. These spots were already present on the teeth before bleaching. As the teeth become lighter they become more visible. Don’t worry! As the whole tooth itself becomes lighter these spots will fade. You may notice these white spots immediately after a bleaching session.
Some teeth may appear banded with lighter/whiter areas. Again these bandings were originally present on the tooth. When the tooth is dark these bandings were not as obvious. As the tooth becomes lighter, the lighter parts of the tooth will lighten first followed by the darker banded area. After a week or so this will not be noticeable anymore.
As the tooth rehydrates over a period of a week or so you will find that these white spots or discolourations will become less obvious than they were immediately after whitening.