What is Dental Plaque?

Have you ever noticed that after a dental cleaning your teeth look sparkly and white, but over time they appear more dull and yellow? That yellowish color comes from plaque. Plaque accumulates on your teeth both above and below your gum line. 

Plaque requires food debris, bacteria, tooth surface and time to form. Plaque will eventually be hardened and form tartar. 

Even if you take great care of your teeth at home, you still have bacteria in your mouth. They mix with food by products to form a sticky film called dental plaque. It coats your teeth, gets under your gum line, and sticks to fillings, crowns, bridges and implants. Plaque contains bacteria that can lead to teeth cavities. Plaque can be removed by tooth brushing and flossing.

Tartar, also called calculus, is hardened dental plaque from calcium in saliva. It cannot be removed by regular tooth brushing and flossing. Professional dental scaling is needed to remove it. Otherwise, gum disease and teeth cavities can occur.

6 Tips to Control Plaque Build up

1. Brush regularly, twice a day for 2 minutes a time. 
2. Studies have found that electronic, or powered, toothbrushes may get rid of plaque better than manual models.  
3. Choose fluoride toothpaste. 

1. Floss, floss, floss. No matter how good you are with a toothbrush, dental floss is the only way to remove plaque between your teeth and keep tartar out of these hard-to-reach areas.

1. Rinse daily. Use an antiseptic mouthwash daily to help kill bacteria that cause plaque. This is optional after tooth brushing and flossing.

1. Watch your diet. The bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugary and starchy foods. When they’re exposed to those foods, they release harmful acids. Try to eat a healthy diet and limit the amount of sugary foods you eat. That goes for snacks, too. Every time you eat, you also feed the bacteria in your mouth. You don’t have to give up sweets or between-meals munches. Just be mindful about how often you indulge. Rinse and brush 30 minutes after meals.

Want to know more about your teeth, feel free to visit us at Smileway Dental Clinic Setapak and USJ. Here we provide dental treatment in a comfortable way because we create smiles that matters.