Author: Rebecca NewboldRebecca Newbold
Dental Hygiene and Therapy, University of Teeside, 2015 (1st class)
BSc Medical Microbiology, University of Leeds, 2006
DENTAL HYGIENE THERAPIST
GDC: 259891
Rebecca is our dental hygiene therapist and helps keep patients' mouths healthy and also creates beautiful composite bonding cases.
Here at Smileworks we’re all about healthy, beautiful smiles. And for some discoloured areas of enamel can cause you to feel self-conscious. Luckily this is a common problem and one you can easily remedy. White spots, white patches or a mottled white appearance of teeth is extremely common and many patients have lived with it for years. Some notice it following braces treatment and for some it’s always been there.  White spots are very simple to remove and the treatment is a straight forward and inexpensive way of improving your smile. To learn about dental hygiene during braces treatment take a look at our main page here: Braces Liverpool. And to see our range of whitening procedures follow the link here: Professional teeth Whitening.
How to get rid of white marks
Your dentist will use a treatment called Icon white spot treatment that will completely eliminate patches or marks on the tooth surface. There is no drilling or needles and the treatment is painless and effective in a very high percentage of cases. Here’s a video explaining how the treatment works.
Many people think that the white frosty appearance of the teeth is stains and will seek whitening treatment. However, whitening doesn’t work because no matter how white the teeth get, the white patches will always be whiter and visible. Up until recently the only way to fix this problem was with porcelain veneers or composite bonding. This is a much more expensive and invasive treatment and many believed that veneers for white spots was overkill.
Why do I have white marks on my teeth?
White spots are very common and are not actually ‘staining’ so will not be removed by whitening procedures.  In fact, whitening your teeth can sometimes make the patches more noticeable so patients choose Icon treatment following their whitening. If you have gone to the salon for your teeth whitening then there may be white spots or patches on the teeth due to dehydration. This is slightly different and is one of the many risks associated with backstreet and Facebook-based whitening companies. For more on illegal whitening you can download our report here: Illegal whitening.
Here are the main causes of white spots:
Trauma
Some people will experience trauma to the teeth as a child and this can cause marks in adult life. Â Also the way the teeth erupt and meet can cause trauma that will produce the mottled appearance that patients are unhappy with.
Demineralisation
When plaque builds up on the teeth from poor dental hygiene, this can cause acid to leech the minerals from the enamel and cause white spots. Not all white spots are caused by poor dental hygiene though, this is just one of the causes.  When you have fixed braces that cannot be removed, often it’s more difficult to maintain high standards of oral hygiene. This can lead to the formation of white patches when the braces come off. Here at Smileworks your dental nurses, therapists, dentists and orthodontist will help you with advice for cleaning in and around your brackets to minimise the chances of getting white patches while in treatment.
Flourosis
This is caused from a very high fluoride intake while the teeth are developing. Sometimes there can be high levels of fluoride in water naturally, children can eat toothpaste and parents can over treat their children with fluoride drops or supplements.  Like many things, not enough fluoride is damaging but too much is also hazardous. Parents and adults are advised to consult a dentist, dental hygiene therapist or dental nurse about how much fluoride is required for the healthy development of their children’s’ teeth. Fluorosis can lead to icy or frosty patches, white marks or even brown or yellow discolouration of the teeth.
Enamel Hypoplasia & Enamel Defects
This is caused by not getting enough nutrients from your diet. Not only nutritional deficiencies but also some medicines, a high fever, premature birth and smoking during pregnancy. Areas prone to tooth decay have fewer minerals as the plaque acid leeches minerals from the enamel. The result looks similar to Flourosis but might be yellow bands across the teeth.
Enamel defects (such as molar-incisal hypoplasia) and others can occur when there’s disruption to the development process of your teeth as a child.   Sometimes erupting adult teeth can bump into baby teeth and cause white patches. There are also many other reasons for enamel defects.
4.9
Based on 1663 reviews
I have been having Invisalign with Eduardo and Savannah. Absolutely amazing service. Friendly, comfortable and they have got my smile looking 10/10. Each time I go I am super relaxed and all runs super smooth.I have had a couple of bad dentistry experiences In life but it’s genuinely perfect at smileworks with these guys.It’s the right dentist to go to in Liverpool 😁
Sams L.
15:39 24 Oct 25
Exceptionnel service! I come in and it’s like going to see friends, you’re put at ease and lifted up! Such welcoming services from Emily, and Leah is just incredible shes helped me so much on my confidence journey, so professional making sure you are comfortable and understanding on what’s happening.
Erin-Joy L.
11:22 24 Oct 25
A big thank you to Eduardo for fitting my brace so perfectly! He’s both friendly and professional, which made the whole experience so much easier. The results have been fast and spot on, and I’m already seeing such a difference. I’m due to have my brace removed in October and can’t wait for the final outcome. One of my biggest insecurities has now disappeared, couldn’t be happier!Just had my brace removal and fixed retainer fitted by Kayleigh and Becca. I’m absolutely over the moon, the process was easy and pain free. Great vibes, appreciate the great work ❤️
Ellena M.
14:47 23 Oct 25
Khalid & Savannah were so lovely, made me feel at ease and gave judgement free treatment and care. My issues are already improving after a couple of visits and I couldn’t be happier.
Jennifer Q.
08:47 23 Oct 25
I had a brilliant experience at Smileworks. Eduardo was outstanding — professional, knowledgeable and incredibly reassuring throughout my visit. He took the time to explain everything clearly, answered all my questions and made me feel completely at ease. The treatment itself was gentle and precise, and I really appreciated his calm, confident manner. It’s rare to find someone who combines such expertise with genuine care, but Eduardo absolutely does. The whole team were friendly and efficient too, making the experience smooth from start to finish. Highly recommended.
Lisa K.
07:59 23 Oct 25
A massive thank you to Eduardo and Andreea for fitting my brace today! They were both extremely welcoming, friendly and professional and made me feel so at ease throughout the whole process.Eduardo explained everything very thoroughly and made sure to give me plenty of opportunities to ask any questions I had.Every visit here has been a positive one and this appointment didn't disappoint.I'm looking forward to seeing the results, after years of feeling self conscious of my teeth. 🙂
Leanne M.
17:12 21 Oct 25
Simple to book, enjoyed the pre-checks, now I'm ready to fly! (this makes sense as the practice is aviation inspired)I thoroughly enjoyed my consultation as a new patient today with Emma and Sav who took great care of me. Having had a couple of years out of minding my dental health, it was empowering to be included in the detailed conversation about the current state of my teeth and gums, with photos and xrays of my teeth displayed alongside other visuals used to help me understand what is going on! It felt great to be able to engage throughout this consultation compared to other practices I've used in the past where equipment felt dated and staff were not as informative and supportive. The practice looked clean and well equipped.Furthermore, it was nice to hear that I have good teeth visually, and incredibly beneficial to see that my current issues lie below the gums - something I wouldn't be aware of at home without my own radiology lab! I'm looking forward to starting treatment to conserve my teethies for another couple of decades!A huge thanks to the reception team who are a delight. Mushika and Rach were welcoming and attentive, and very helpful in booking me in and arranging finances for my future visits.I'm so happy to be flying with Smileworks!💪😎🌟
Tobias
12:40 21 Oct 25
Nearly at the end of a quite substantial amount of dental work at Smileworks and just had to come and leave a fabulous review for Samme and Helen. From the very beginning they have been brilliant, helping me choose between the options I had. I felt in no way pressured to choose a particular treatment and all the pros and cons were easily laid out for me to make my own decision. As for the actual treatments I've had the work spread out over about 6 appointments, so as not to overwhelm me. The quality of the work is first class and I certainly won't be going anywhere else now for any dental treatment. I'm over the moon with the work that's already been done and I go back next week for my final appointment for my final fit of porcelain veneers. I'd like to point out that I'm having the veneers and other work done as my teeth had weakened due to a medication I was taking. My main goal was to just have strong teeth again but Samme and Helen have made sure I'll be leaving with my most beautiful smile and I couldn't be happier. Id highly recommend them and the rest of the team at Smileworks Liverpool, so next time you need a check up or any dental work give them a call 😁 You definitely won't regret it 😁😁😁
Angie S.
14:43 19 Oct 25
I want to thank all the staff members who helped me on 14.10 allocating me on the emergency appointment. It was huge stress for me and fear of pain ( crown fell off exposing sensitive tooth ). Very special thanks to Rachael working at the reception desk who went above and beyond not only in finding the appointment time, but also show her care and empathy for the patient in distress. Her excellent listening skills and true engagement in helping others made me feel much better already when I started to speak with her. I realized later that I was asking the same questions, but she never show any impatience; replied in a kind,friendly and calm manner. Also, massive thanks to Emily who listened to my feedback and show her empathy and kindness.
H A.
16:55 17 Oct 25
Just been for my 1/2 year check ups with my Dentist JK and my hygiene and air flow, also got a filling today. Paula did teeth check and clean followed by my filling. No jab. I didnt feel a thing. Jo Paula's dental assistant was so very good, everything to hand and so gentle too. Great work girls. The receptionists mushika and Rach were very welcoming and sorted everything out for me. Thank you all 😊
Pauline L.
07:06 16 Oct 25
Other treatments for white marks
As previously discussed, whitening sometimes works to remove certain types of tetracycline banding and medicine induced fluorosis. Also veneers or composite veneers can be used, although we would be reticent to treat patients with suck an expensive and invasive treatment before exploring all of the alternatives.  Microbrasion is carefully removing the affected enamel. This is another treatment that would not be recommended before trying everything else. This is because it damages the teeth and would increase the risk that you would lose them in later life. The best and first option will be Icon treatment. This is a simple and cost effective way of removing the discolouration and you will find out that treating this common problem is actually much more straight-forward than you might have though. Dental hygiene therapist at Smileworks can offer patients Airflow polishing at their hygiene appointments this an be effective in certain cases.
Icon Before and After
Icon white spot removal cost
DMG Icon is an extremely cost-effective treatment. Especially compared with options like veneers! At Smileworks this treatment costs just £150 per tooth. Here’s some short videos showing what it’s like at our practice and what some of our patients think of our work.
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To make an appointment to see a dentist or dental hygiene therapist just fill in the form in the footer of this page or call the office on 0151 236 5166 to speak to a member of the team.
