White Spots On Toddler’s Teeth – What Causes Them & How To Prevent?

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white spots on toddler's teeth

Your baby is definitely the apple of your eye. And their smile is surely meant to lighten up your world. Being their first and best caretaker, you will always do anything to make sure that smile shines the brightest. In keeping their smile perfect, you may come across white spots on toddler’s teeth.

These white spots on your toddler’s perfect baby pearls may send you into a frenzy. But all you need to do is relax, take a deep breath and dig in as we provide you all the information you need to keep your favorite smile shine brighter!

White But Not Too White?

White pearly teeth are the epitome of perfection. And who doesn’t love them? But what is healthy white and when to know there is a problem?

If you come across small white spots on otherwise normal, white teeth, you may be encountering a problem. And this may be the right time to talk to your dentist about the issue at hand.

Also Read: When Do Babies Start Laughing?

What Causes White Spots On Toddler’s Teeth?

White spots on toddler’s teeth are obviously not the best thing for that perfect smile you so adore. And you may have a mini panic attack when you first notice these bad guys. The question that pops up here is, “How and why did these white spots on my baby’s teeth appear?”.

There are to major culprits that cause these problematic spots.

  • Fluorosis- too much fluoride (a mineral that is required for healthy tooth development)
  • Early Signs Of Tooth Decay.

Let’s break down these causes here.

What Is Fluorosis?

Fluoride is a mineral that, like calcium, is required for the normal healthy development of teeth. So where do you get this fluoride from?

Fluoride is found in drinking water, as well as in oral hygiene products such as toothpaste and mouth wash. Fluoride is extremely beneficial for healthy tooth development as it has the following benefits

  • Prevents early tooth loss
  • Causes remineralization i.e. repair of already weakened enamel of tooth (the outer layer)
  • Prevents harmful oral bacteria from growing in your mouth
  • Slows the process of tooth decay

However, too much of a good thing can also be bad. Fluorosis is the presence of fluoride in amounts more than required by the teeth for healthy growth. As a result, the extra fluoride appears as white spots on the toddler’s teeth.

However, apart from these white spots on toddler’s teeth, dental fluorosis doesn’t cause any other harm.

Also Read: My Newborn Won’t Sleep Unless Held – What Should I Do?

How To Tackle This Problem?

Your toddler is more likely to develop this as children love to sneak away with toothpaste. You may often catch them red-handed with a tube of toothpaste in their hands with them eating from it!

This extra fluoride that is ingested by your toddler causes the problem. So how to make sure this doesn’t happen? Don’t let your toddler brush their teeth without your or your partner’s supervision. An elder sibling can also do the job.

Experts Do Not recommend mouthwashes and oral rinses for children less than 5-6 years. They have not yet developed proper reflexes and would not be able to spit out the mouth wash once they are done cleaning their mouth with it.

Apart from oral hygiene products, you may want to have a check on the drinking water supply and levels of fluoride present in it.

If this still doesn’t help, you may want to talk to your family dentist about this issue.

Also Read: My Newborn Is Not Pooping But Passing Gas – What Should I Do?

Are You Dealing With Early Tooth Decay?

Teething is a very important milestone in the growth of your toddler. Those baby milky teeth instantly become your favorite smile! And as we know, you would be hustling to make sure your favorite smile remains flawless.

So while brushing those adorable baby teeth, you may come across white spots on toddler’s teeth. This may raise a red flag as white spots on toddler’s teeth are also an early sign of tooth decay.

These white chalky spots initially appear along the gum line, and with the passage of time, they become yellow or brown. This is a matter of concern as this means that tooth decay is setting in. Not only this, but the permanent teeth under gums are also at risk of damage and decay as well.

Also Read: When Can a Toddler Sleep With A Pillow?

How Are White Spots On Toddler’s Teeth Linked To Tooth Decay?

So by now, you’ve been adequately alert about the probability of your toddler’s perfect teeth having white spots. Which, as we talked about above, can lead to tooth decay and loss. Now the question you may ask yourself is, “What’s causing all these problems?”, “How can I prevent tooth decay in my baby?”

Poor brushing habits are one of the major causes of tooth decay. Not only this, but too many sweets, most often during bedtime is also another culprit. Especially when your kid is skipping on brushing their teeth before bed too.

Another important contributing element to white spots on toddler’s teeth and decay is poor diet and unrestricted breast and bottle feeding. You may want to talk to your doctor about a balanced diet plan for your toddler, to make sure their teeth are developing normally.

Also Read: Best Nutrition For Newborn Babies – What Do Experts Agree On?

Some Useful Healthy Teeth Tips!

In your quest to keep your favorite smile shine the brightest, we’ve rounded up some useful tips on how this can be done.

  • Make sure your child is brushing their teeth properly and every time before bedtime.
  • You may want to supervise their brushing routine to ensure they use only a pea-size amount of toothpaste and do not swallow excess toothpaste.
  • Fluoride containing rinses and mouthwashes are not needed by your toddler!
  • A healthy diet should be a part and parcel of your child’s life.
  • As soon as your toddler turns one, you may want to encourage drinking from a free-flow cup than from a baby bottle. Unrestricted bottle-feed can lead to tooth decay.
  • An annual visit to your family dentist is necessary to make sure that your toddler has the perfect smile.

Also Read: Fun Things To Do With Toddlers

Take-Home Message For Healthy Teeth

The journey from a toothless to a toothy smile is surely your favorite! However, to make sure that a pearly smile remains spotless, put in some extra effort.

White spots on toddler’s teeth are avoidable and you can chip in to ensure that doesn’t happen. Happy teething!

 

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