What You Should Know About Plaque on Your Teeth
Your teeth and mouth need to be cared for to impact your health. Taking care of your mouth entails controlling plaque as it impacts health as well as the look of your teeth. To take care of the health of your mouth you need to know what plaque is, how it gets there, and what to do about it.
What is It
Plaque is a sticky substance that forms a film on the surface of your teeth. It can feel like an almost fuzzy substance. Plaque can be colorless or even slightly yellow which can affect the look of your teeth. Plaque is formed because of the bacteria present in your mouth. It will always form on your teeth because bacteria are constantly present. Plaque will form because of deposits left from the bacteria which come from the food you eat in combination with your saliva. It takes between 4 and 12 hours for plaque to start building up again after brushing your teeth.
How it Gets There
The bacteria in your mouth need the right conditions to start forming plaque. Food that is rich in carbohydrates gives the bacteria the right food source. When bacteria has access to the sugar found in high carbohydrate foods, it produces acid deposits. These deposits also attract more bacteria. Eating more carbohydrates and brushing less frequently can increase the amount of plaque that builds up on your teeth. Brushing your teeth frequently can help prevent buildup. You should be flossing every day to remove food particles that brushing can’t get.
What to Do About It
Plaque may be constantly forming in your mouth but is it very important to remove it frequently, so it doesn’t build up. Plaque can make your teeth look more yellow and can cause damage to your teeth. The best thing you can do about your plaque is to make sure to visit the dentist regularly. The dentist will be able to remove the plaque and get your teeth clean again. To help with plaque buildup in between dentist visits you also need to make sure to brush and floss daily.
Your overall health is impacted by the health of your teeth and mouth. Your mouth needs some daily care to help keep it clean and free from bacteria and plaque. This will help your mouth stay healthy and keep your teeth looking great.
Check out this article on dental problems that you need to get checked out!