When you think about dangers to your smile, you might think about eating hard or sticky foods, using your teeth as tools, or getting in an accident that causes dental trauma. However, with so many visible dangers to your smile, one comes in quietly and can have a major impact on your oral health: dental plaque.
Although dental plaque is a normal part of your oral health, it can quickly turn into a headache for dental patients. If you want to learn more about the dangers of leaving plaque unaddressed and how to adequately address this growth, keep reading.
What is Dental Plaque?
Your mouth is home to over 700 different bacteria. This bacteria plays an essential role in aiding digestion, protecting your gums from irritation, and freshening your breath. However, some bacteria are responsible for the formation of dental plaque. When you eat or drink, foods and beverages combine with this bacteria, creating plaque.
Dental plaque is a sticky film that forms across your teeth. While it is a normal function, it is essential that this plaque is removed regularly through brushing, flossing, and twice-yearly dental cleanings. As dental plaque builds up, it becomes increasingly difficult to remove through brushing and flossing, which is why it is so important to address it as soon as possible.
Signs of Plaque Build-Up
While plaque is colorless, there are some ways that you can identify a dental plaque build-up on your teeth. The easiest way to determine whether you have plaque build-up is by looking at your teeth after you eat. As food sticks to the plaque on your teeth, it can lead to tooth discoloration, which is the easiest way to identify whether it is on your teeth.
As plaque begins to harden, it becomes tartar, which is an off-white or yellow color. Tartar is also prone to discoloration from food consumption. However, unlike dental plaque, tartar cannot be removed through simple brushing and flossing, making it essential that you work with your dental team when it appears.
While there aren’t many visible signs of dental plaque buildup, there are still a few signs you should look for that indicate plaque presence, including:
- Fuzzy Feeling: When you run your tongue over your teeth, they may feel fuzzy or rough, indicating a plaque presence.
- Bad Breath: If you have unaddressed plaque on your teeth, it can cause the bacteria in your mouth to release repulsive-smelling odors, leading to chronic halitosis.
- Bleeding or Swollen Gums: Plaque build-up along your gumline can lead to irritation, which may cause bleeding or swelling.
- Temperature Sensitivity: The bacteria responsible for plaque build-up may also increase sensitivity to warm and cold foods and beverages.
What Happens If You Don’t Address Plaque Build-Up?
Some of the symptoms of plaque build-up can be easily ignored through brushing and flossing. But, over time, choosing to ignore plaque build-up can be incredibly detrimental to your overall oral health. As mentioned above, as plaque hardens, it becomes tartar, which is impossible to remove without the intervention of a dental professional.
As this tartar remains unaddressed, your risk of developing periodontal disease increases. In its earliest stages, periodontal disease can be reversed. However, as the disease progresses, it can cause significant and irreversible harm to your gums, teeth, and the surrounding tissue. In more extreme cases, it isn’t uncommon to experience tooth loss.
Losing one or more teeth can have long-lasting effects on everyday activities like speaking and eating. It can also lead to the deterioration of your jawbone, which makes it difficult to comfortably support dental implants, dentures, or bridges. If you notice dental plaque build-up on your teeth, it is important to address it as soon as possible.
How Professionals Remove Plaque
If you believe you have plaque build-up, it is best to schedule teeth cleaning with your trusted dental professional. This cleaning is generally sufficient enough to remove any tough plaque, especially if you’re dealing with plaque build-up between your teeth or in difficult-to-reach parts of your mouth.
However, if you have tartar build-up in your mouth, removal becomes a bit more complex. Your dental professional will use a device called a scaler to scrape away the tartar build-up on your teeth gently. While this process is generally painless for patients, it can create a high-pitched noise that some patients find uncomfortable to listen to.
At-Home Dental Plaque Prevention
While it is essential to attend your twice-yearly dental cleanings, the things you do at home can also make a major impact on plaque build-up. The easiest and best way to address and prevent dental plaque build-up at home is by brushing twice daily and flossing at least once daily. This regular cleaning can address build-up before it leads to tartar development.
If you find that brushing manually isn’t doing an adequate job of addressing plaque build-up, you may want to consider upgrading to an electric toothbrush. These brushes oscillate and rotate, removing plaque far more efficiently than if you brush by hand. It is also important that you brush for an adequate amount of time.
Although the American Dental Association recommends brushing for at least two minutes to remove plaque, bacteria, and food particles, many adults don’t brush for longer than 45 seconds. This leaves your teeth at an increased risk of developing plaque and tartar buildup, making it essential to brush thoroughly.
Prevent Cavities, Gum Disease, and More in Mills River, NC
The best way to prevent plaque build-up, gum disease, cavities, and more is by working with a reliable dental team, like our team at Mills River Family Dental. Since 2003, our team has provided expert dental care to patients across the Mills River, NC, area and beyond, helping them achieve their brightest, healthiest smile.
Whether you need to schedule a dental cleaning, want to discuss dental prosthetics, or are interested in cosmetic dentistry, we have the training and experience to help you through it all. If you would like to learn more about our services or are interested in scheduling an appointment with our team to address plaque build-up, contact our team today.
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