Do Your Teeth Have Pit and Fissure Stains

Teeth are full of holes. Little, tiny, microscopic holes completely cover the surface of each of your teeth. Each of those holes has the ability to stain, leaving a little dark spot on your tooth.

These are called pit and fissure stains. Most of the time, these small stains do not contain decay early on, but if left alone or not cleaned thoroughly enough, they can become decay which will then become a cavity.

Talking to Your Dentist About Pit and Fissure Staining

Your dentist is going to have to take the time to look at each pit and fissure stain you have in your mouth to determine if they contain decay or not. Most of the time, with regular, preventative dental care, there is no decay and subsequent cavity to worry about. However, some of the time these small holes or tiny cracks in the teeth will end up with a cavity that needs to be dealt with.

It can be hard for dentists to tell if caries exists in those small pits, so they often take a look at them and continue watching them over some time. As long as they see no signs of demineralization on the specific area that has the stain, they typically leave it alone unless it becomes a cosmetic concern.

If you have been cleaning your teeth and noticed a few small stains on your teeth, take note of them so you can talk to your dentist during your next exam. Tell them where you saw the stains, and ask them if you should be concerned.

They will take a look, clean up the area as best as they can, and let you know if more needs to be done. Contact our office today and schedule your next appointment.