White spots on the teeth are quite bothersome because they appear significantly whiter than the rest of your smile, which can make your smile appear dull and aged. There are many reasons that they can develop and luckily, they can be treated with teeth whitening treatments from your cosmetic dentist. However, if you have white spots currently, it's important to know why you have them and what you can do to prevent them from showing up again in the future. Here are four of the most common reasons people develop white spots on their teeth:

1. Braces: If you have worn braces, it's common to have white spots afterwards because it's hard to reach the area behind the braces when you are brushing. This allows plaque to sit on the surface of the tooth. Since plaque is acidic, it eats away at the enamel, which is what leaves the white spots. After having braces, you will probably need teeth whitening treatments. The best way to prevent it in the first place, though is to learn how to brush your teeth while wearing braces. You can even buy a special toothbrush that can help you reach the harder to reach areas when brushing while wearing braces. 
2. Diet: Your diet can also affect the appearance of your smile. White spots are commonly developed by people who drink juices and sports drinks regularly. This is because these beverages are highly acidic, which, again, eats away at the enamel. If you do drink juices and sports drinks, it's important to wash it down with water or brush your teeth soon after to ensure that the acid is not sitting on the surface of your teeth. 
3. Acid Reflux: If you suffer from regular acid reflux, it's important to talk to your doctor about how to control and even treat it. The reason acid reflux is a problem is that it releases acid into the mouth. Your doctor can provide you with medication to prevent this. However, most of the time, it's best controlled by watching what you eat. Drinking coffee and eating vinegar-based foods often triggers acid reflux. 
4. Improper Brushing: Finally, the reason you may have white spots could be because of improper brushing. When you aren't covering all the surface areas of your teeth when brushing and plaque is left to build in certain areas, it can lead to white spots. 

Now that you may know the cause of the white spots on your teeth, you can receive whitening treatments by your dentist and know how to best retain it.  For more information, contact a dentist, like one from Cape Dental Care.