Dental plaque can cause various damage to your teeth and gums. Fortunately there are several ways to get rid of plaque on your teeth that are effective enough to maintain your oral health.
Dental plaque looks like a thin and thin layer of yellow or white that generally exists between the teeth and along the gum line on the teeth. Dental plaque is formed due to the attachment of various kinds of bacteria in the teeth, and will be increasingly visible when the teeth are not brushed.
Dental plaque occurs when cakes, candy, milk, soft drinks, or carbohydrate foods are left in the teeth. Then the bacteria that live in the mouth secrete acids that can destroy tooth enamel (the outer protective layer of teeth) and cause cavities. This bacterium can also cause bad breath, both in adults and in children.
Tooth Plaque Diseases
If left unchecked, plaque can cause damage to teeth, gums, and even bone supporting teeth, in the form of:
- Tooth decay or decay. If left untreated, the damage can spread to the pulp (root layer) in the middle of the tooth and cause toothache and abscesses.
- Calculus (tartar), which is a layer of plaque that hardens like cement which cannot be removed with a toothbrush.
- Gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums that makes the gums become red, swollen, and painful.
- Periodontitis, is an infection of the gum that spreads and causes damage to the dental bones around the jaw. Periodontitis occurs if gingivitis is getting worse. This disease results in the formation of gaps between the teeth and gums. If left untreated, the teeth will slowly break away from the gums and eventually come off.
Prevent and eliminate dental plaque
In addition to making teeth look yellow and cause disease, dental plaque can also make smiles not beautiful to look at. How to prevent and remove plaque on the teeth can be done with the following steps:
- Brushing teeth. The best way to combat plaque is to brush your teeth twice a day, morning and night. Brushing your teeth twice a day helps prevent plaque formation and destroy any plaque that has begun to form. Plaque-causing bacteria will continue to grow, so brushing your teeth must be done regularly.
- Brushing teeth with a soft bristled toothbrush and toothpaste containing fluoride, for two minutes. Flouride protects teeth by binding to the enamel and creating a harder surface. Also make sure that all areas of the mouth (teeth, gums, tongue, inside cheeks) are brushed clean.
- Change the toothbrush every 3-4 months.
- Use dental floss at least once a day (before going to bed at night) to get rid of bacteria and food scraps.
- Discuss with your dentist about using mouthrinse or mouthwash. This is different from a mouthwash that only serves to refresh the breath. Some types of mouthwash can make the oral cavity dry and can actually help the development of certain types of plaque.
- Avoid sugary and sticky foods and drinks such as candy, raisins, chocolate-coated snacks or soft drinks.
- Eat balanced meals and limit snacks. If you want a snack, choose pure yogurt (without additional flavorings and sweeteners), cheese, fruit, or raw vegetables. Besides being able to eliminate food scraps, vegetables such as celery also help saliva neutralize plaque-causing acids.
- Visit the dentist at least once every 6 months to check and clean teeth.
If your teeth are covered by plaque, don't worry because plaque can be removed. Dentists can perform treatments to clean teeth from dental plaque. The re-establishment of plaque on the teeth can be prevented by maintaining oral hygiene. Plaque is gone, healthy teeth, laughter becomes more loose.
