Dental News

Dental Plaque Buildup

May 27, 2019

Dental Plaque Buildup

Have you ever wondered what the sticky film that coats your teeth is? Or if you should be concerned about its buildup? The sticky film is called plaque. Plaque starts forming when you eat foods such as bread, milk, candy, and drinks, and the food remains on your teeth. When food particle and bacteria combine, they produce a colorless to yellow deposit that coats the surface of your teeth. These deposits form dental plaque, a thin biofilm deposit made of bacteria that are continuously created and develops on everyone’s teeth. Overtime dental plaque can buildup on your teeth and if left untouched can lead to dental problems. Here we’ll explain how plaque can buildup and some ways to prevent it.

Tartar and dental problems

Even with good oral hygiene practice, not all plaques are removed when brushing. When dental plaque builds up over time, the plaque starts to harden into tartar. This type of gunk coats your teeth and gets beneath the gum line making it difficult to remove just by brushing. Even though plaque and tartar may look harmless, the bacteria that eat the foods on the surface of your teeth produce acids that can damage your teeth. If plaque and tartar is not control, overtime pockets can form between the teeth and gums where bacteria can thrive causing inflammation and eventually leading to bone loss. This is called periodontitis. It is best to not let plaque buildup to avoid serious dental issues in the future.

Controlling plaque and tartar

Removing tartar from your teeth can be very difficult because brushing and flossing will not remove advanced tartar buildup effectively. For thorough plaque and tartar removal, your dentist will recommend a scaling and root planning procedure also known as periodontal therapy. Scaling and root planning are non-surgical procedures that remove plaque and tartar. Dental scaling involves removing dental plaque deep below the gum line using a variety of handheld dental or ultrasonic scaling tools. Scaling is often followed by root planning to reach the tooth’s root to clean plaque and tartar. Several follow up treatment with dental scaling, and root planning may be necessary to control and remove tartar buildup.

Remember to keep your regular dental exam and checkup. Don’t forget to schedule your cleaning and checkup to prevent tartar buildup. Be sure to contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 for your appointment.

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