What causes white patches on teeth?

White patches on your teeth come from to much plaque that build up from over the years and can later on in life leave holes in the area that they are, to prevent.

1. Make sure you brush that area everyday.
2. Rinse your mouth with mouthwash.
3. Talk to your dentist about it.

The white patches may never come off that's why you have to brush your teeth everyday. If you don't, those patches might grow and become holes, and your dentist will have to fill them.

A note: If you've had braces, it could be stains from that. I have a white 'stain' on one of the teeth that had braces on it.

White patches on your teeth can also be caused by fluoridation, termed dental fluorosis. This may be caused by a child receive too much fluoride during their tooth development period (usually between the ages of 1 - 4 years old)

White patches are not caused by plaque accumulation. They are areas of demineralized enamel, which may or may not have plaque on them, depending on the oral hygiene standards of the patient. They can be remineralized by using a fluoridated toothpaste (topical action). If they are not regularly kept fluoridated and clean, they can stain darker and become cavitated requiring a filling. They are not removable except by drilling them away and re-filling with a more tooth-colored natural looking material.

The white patch on your tooth after removal of braces is due to the fact that it was difficult for your brush to reach that area. After removal the area became self-cleansable, by saliva, brush, food-action, etc and probably will never cavitate.