Dental plaque is a biofilm that builds up on teeth and can cause oral health problems. It is easy to remove at first, but if left unattended, it can develop into tartar and cause damage to teeth. Regular brushing, flossing, and mouthwash use, as well as annual visits to a dentist, can help prevent dental plaque buildup.
Dental plaque is a type of biofilm, a colony of microorganisms suspended in fluid and mucus, that builds up on your teeth. If left unattended, dental plaque can cause serious oral health problems and can eventually develop into tartar, a mineralized form of dental plaque that is very damaging and very difficult to remove from your teeth. Fortunately, there are several ways to fight dental plaque and keep your mouth healthy.
This buildup in the mouth is completely natural and typically contains a large cross section of the bacteria that call the mouth home. It begins when a bacteria touches a tooth, using the warm, moist environment in the mouth to start multiplying and attracting more bacteria. As bacteria build up, they are glued together by mucus and secretions given off by some bacteria, creating a thin layer on the tooth surface.
At this stage, dental plaque is easy enough to remove; a quick swipe with a toothbrush will kill off most of the bacteria, forcing them to have to start over if they want to build up another layer of dental plaque. Dental plaque is also not very harmful at this stage. If dental plaque is allowed to progress, however, things can get worse.
In an extremely thick layer of dental plaque, the bacteria below will start breathing anaerobically, because they lack oxygen. Anaerobic respiration, in addition to being a simple survival trick, also produces acids that can corrode the surface of the teeth, causing damage. If allowed to continue to grow, a dental plaque will also begin to mineralize, as discussed above.
Dental plaque can also harbor harmful bacteria, including foreign invaders that could cause harm to the body. A bacterial imbalance in the body can also lead to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the mouth, and these bacteria can start to generate odors and stains that are aesthetically unappealing as well as being unhealthy.
Most dentists recommend that people floss, brush, and use mouthwash regularly to remove dental plaque and reduce the overall levels of bacteria in the mouth. Additionally, annual visits to an oral hygienist are also recommended to remove stubborn dental plaque; these visits also offer the dentist the opportunity to check the patient’s general oral health.
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