All Coast Dental

Friday, October 11, 2019

Incipient Lesions

Do you ever notice that there are white spots on your teeth? Usually, they quickly disappear, but when they linger, they are a sign of a developing dental infection. We at All Coast Dental highly value prevention, so we want our patients to understand how white spot lesions work and why it’s so important to take them seriously.


White spot lesions are called “incipient lesions” because a glazed, white appearance is enamel’s initial response to being demineralized. When enamel is exposed to the acid produced by oral bacteria, there will be a period after it starts losing minerals but before it loses enough mass to form a cavity. This is when the white spot appears. It only takes about thirty days for a white spot to become a cavity, but after an infection is halted, the white spot may linger as a chalky-looking scar.


Incipient lesions can be halted through better brushing, but they usually appear in places such as around orthodontic brackets where the patient has trouble reaching. That’s why orthodontic patients need to master the use of Christmas tree toothbrushes and why people generally should keep a close eye on the bottoms and sides of their teeth, where tartar forms. We can determine whether a white spot still has an active infection, and if the scar lingers, we can discuss cosmetic solutions such as bonding.


Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.


 

No comments:

Post a Comment