White spots are initial carious lesions caused by mineral depletion in some regions of dental enamel.
These transmit light in a different way and to the naked eye appear as particularly evident circumscribed areas.
White spots are more frequent in young subjects, especially in conjunction with orthodontic treatments though generally accompanied by poor oral hygiene.
They represent the initial stage of a carious process: flat, non-cavitated lesions and the depleted areas are repairable once exposed to an adequately effective remineralisation treatment.
White spots lesions are thus reversible.
