Brown and white spots on your teeth can be caused by a variety of factors, but there are different treatments available depending on the underlying cause.
White spots often indicate early tooth decay or demineralization. They can also be caused by fluorosis (over-exposure to fluoride during tooth development). Treatment for white spots may include remineralization using in-office fluoride treatments, home-use fluoride toothpastes and mouthrinses, or CCP-ACP (Casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate) formulations. New techniques like resin infiltration can also address certain white spots in a non-invasive manner, and achieve excellent aesthetic outcomes. In more severe cases, cosmetic procedures like dental bonding or veneers may be needed.
Brown spots can be due to staining from food, beverages (like coffee, tea and red wine), tobacco use, poor oral hygiene, or even certain medications (e.g. tetracyclines); they can also result from abnormal tooth structure development (e.g. hypomineralisation or hypoplasia), and tooth decay. Extrinsic stains (from food and beverages, or tobacco use) can usually be removed through professional scaling and polishing. Intrinsic teeth discolouration due to certain medications, or yellowing of teeth with age, can usually be addressed with professional teeth whitening procedures. If the brown spots are due to tooth decay or leaking fillings, then restorative dental treatments like fillings or crowns may be required.
In certain situations, it may be necessary to combine different treatment modalities to achieve the best outcome. For example, for some brown lesions, it may be necessary to use teeth whitening procedures to address the discolouration, before performing resin infiltration to improve the overall aesthetics.
If you are concerned about any white or brown spots on your teeth, it is best to consult with your dentist, who can then diagnose the issue, identify the causative factors, and recommend the appropriate treatment.