White marks on front teeth?!
Question:
White marks on front teeth?
I get white marks on my two front teeth. they come at times during the day and stay for several hours, some days i dont get them and they can be more noticable some days then others. I have had these for a few years now. I have asked my dentist but he said that he has never heard of this before. I can't possibly be the only person who gets this am i??! can anybody help?!
Answers:
White lines in teeth can be caused by various factors. Many times they form when the teeth are developing and could be from medications, extra flouride exposure, and/or illness during this time. There are a few things that may cause these lines to appear after the teeth are in the mouth. An example is something called decalcification, where parts of the enamel become less mineralized. This is usually the result of plaque left on teeth for long periods of time and is the very early stages of cavity formation. These conditions are all permanantly part of the teeth.
Regarding your observation that these lines seem to come and go from day to day... I have not heard of any conditions that creates lines on teeth that come and go, unless it is actually debris on the teeth that needs to be brushed off with your toothbrush. However, if these lines in your teeth are permanent then they may just seem to come and go. Moisture on the teeth can change the appearance of teeth. Do you happen to breath through your mouth during the day or at night? When people "mouth-breath" or have their mouth open for long periods of time, the front teeth will dry slightly and this causes the teeth to appear more white. White lines on the teeth will also appear more white and/or almost chalky in appearance compared to the surrounding tooth structure.
I would not be concerned that something is wrong with your teeth as long as you are brushing and flossing as regularly as you should be. If you are concerned with they way your teeth look you can ask your dentist about tooth colored resin filling material that is placed over the front of the teeth (called direct veneers) which usually doesn't require the teeth to be cut down too much, if at all.
This is the best I could do without really seeing you in person.
Good luck.