Investigating The Prevalence of White Spot Lesions and Related Factors in Orthodontic Patients of Two Orthodontic Departments

Due to ecologic alterations, white spot lesions in orthodontic patients have a high prevalence. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of white spot lesions in orthodontic patients and possible related factors.

The study was designed as a cross- sectional investigation. 200 patients were recruited and demographic data including gender, age, time of brushing, use of dental floss, parents’ educational level and use of fluoride were collected in a questionnaire. The labial surface of incisors, canines and premolars were next inspected for white spots and their frequency calculated. The possible association between the frequency of white spots and aforementioned factors was analyzed via the binary logistic regression test.

90.5% of patients had at least one tooth with white spot. The highest prevalence of white spots was found in upper laterals, and lower first premolars. The duration of orthodontic treatment had the highest association with the development of white spot (P<0.0001). Frequency of brushing and application of fluoride significantly decrease the incidence of white spots (P=0.008), (P=0.003) Respectively. Type of brush and flossing and sex and age of patients showed no statistically significant contribution. Patients with high parents', educational level had more prevalence of white spot (P<0.006).

The prevalence of white spots in patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment is high. Administration of fluoride products and increasing brushing sessions could possibly reduce the incidence of white spots