I recently got my braces off and have very noticeable white spots on my front teeth. My dentist recommended Zoom whitening, so I tried it. I could tell right away that the spots looked even worse, but he said I just needed to wait a few days for the color to even out. It’s been two weeks and my teeth still look the same. What’s going on? I’m thinking about trying an at-home kit to see if it will work. — Sara

Dear Sara,
Your dentist seems to have steered you in the wrong direction. Did he actually examine your teeth before recommending the Zoom whitening?  It sounds like you probably have decalcification. It’s a common problem in which the minerals in the tooth are stripped away as a result of poor cleaning around braces. These areas of decalcification manifest as white spots and it make the teeth susceptible to decay.

Any dentist who is familiar with this problem or who is skilled in cosmetic dentistry, would know that Zoom Whitening or other whitening systems will make the white spots worse. There’s a chance you can add minerals back to those areas, but there’s no guarantee it will work. Products that might help are Tooth Mousse or MI Paste (have your dentist order them for you or you can purchase them online). They are formulated  to saturate the tooth in minerals, in hopes of reversing the decalcification and staving off any future decay. Some dentists will do Microabrasion on the areas, but the end result could make your teeth look creamy – not white. You could also ask about removing the spots and placing bonding on the teeth. That will keep the areas from decaying — and your teeth will be a uniform color. Your only other alternative would be to look at a more costly cosmetic procedure like porcelain veneers.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.