If you’ve ever gone too long between brushing your teeth, you know how slimy and dirty your teeth can feel. Some people lovingly call this layer of grime “teeth sweaters.” But it has a real name: plaque. Plaque is common but it can cause poor oral health if you ignore it. Read below for more information on what plaque is and how to deal with it.
To best understand what exactly plaque is, let us paint you a picture of the inside of your mouth after a meal. After enjoying your delicious food, someone else (or something else) is enjoying the leftovers. Oral bacteria are natural and normally present in everyone’s mouth.
These bacteria feed off tiny bits of leftover food on your teeth – kind of gross, but it’s true! As bacteria eat the food, they digest and process it. Finally, the bacteria produce plaque as an aftereffect of digestion. This process happens with any food you eat, but the bacteria especially love carbohydrates and sugar.
Plaque sticks to any and all parts of your teeth. In fact, the plaque on the sides of your teeth and near your gums can be different than the kind of plaque found in the grooves on the chewing surface of your teeth.
The real problem with plaque is that it contains acid, which ruins your teeth. Over time, acid can erode your enamel and harm your gums. While plaque is totally normal, it’s still important to keep it at bay.
The buildup of plaque can cause:
In summary, plaque is the basis of most oral health problems. Left untreated, many of the oral health problems listed above can lead to tooth loss and other oral health complications down the road.
You can’t avoid plaque completely. Plaque is simply the natural outcome of oral bacteria. Either the bacteria naturally reproduce or you pick up new bacteria from your environment. And some oral bacteria are actually good for you.
So the idea isn’t to completely get rid of bacteria in your mouth. But certain foods (like sugar) and bad habits (like not brushing and flossing) can cause excessive plaque and harmful buildup that hardens into tartar and can wreak havoc on your oral health.
The benefits of good oral hygiene go far beyond just your mouth. A healthy mouth is important for a healthy body and a joyful life.
To keep your mouth healthy and plaque-free:
To schedule a professional cleaning for your teeth, or to develop a new relationship with White Spruce Dental, contact us today! We are taking new patients and would love to serve all your oral health needs, and help you keep plaque at bay.
The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
White Spruce Dental
935 E. Henrietta Rd.
Rochester, NY 14623
|Mon - Wed||8am - 5pm|
|Thursday||7am - 3pm|
|Friday||8am - 1pm|
Rochester, Henrietta, Brighton,
Pittsford, Scottsville, Irondequoit,
Churchville, Mendon, and Greece
Please call us at 585.424.5120 or fill out the form below to request an appointment.