Plaque, or plaque, is not only one of the most common causes of bad breath, it can also cause serious damage to our teeth if not removed regularly and thoroughly.
The symptoms of dental plaque can usually be seen with the naked eye: whitish-yellow plaque deposits on the tooth surfaces, tartar becomes visible (and noticeable when the tongue comes into contact with it), bad breath and bleeding gums are also common side effects. With thick plaque, the teeth even feel rough and dull. This condition is far from the fresh feeling after brushing your teeth, when everything is smooth and clean.
Causes of dental plaque: disposition, diet, care
Dental plaque in itself is something completely natural and belongs to our oral flora – it just has to be removed regularly so that it is not harmful to health. Some people are more prone to plaque formation due to the composition of their saliva, others less. Much more important than predisposition, however, are diet and oral hygiene. If the dental plaque is not removed regularly, i.e. at least twice a day, from the tooth surfaces, minerals contained in the saliva accumulate and lead to a mineralization of the dental plaque. The result: tartar, which can only be removed by professional teeth cleaning, as well as irritated gums. If the plaque remains untreated, tooth decay, gingivitis (gingivitis) and periodontitis can follow.
Dental plaque – this is how it is created
Many different bacteria and germs live in the mouth, some useful and helpful for dental health, others harmful and pathogenic. These bacteria live, among other things, directly on the tooth surface in the so-called biofilm. This felt-soft, structured, microbial plaque is, so to speak, the minimal state of plaque. In the biofilm, the bacteria are protected from external influences and can multiply rapidly. In this way, plaque builds up quickly under ideal conditions.
Sugary diets promote plaque
If microscopic food residues remain on the tooth surface after eating or drinking, the caries-forming bacteria and germs will find ideal conditions here to live and multiply. Food and drinks containing sugar actually increase the number of acid-producing bacteria because they are fed, so to speak . The caries-producing bacteria convert refined sugar into aggressive acids such as lactic acid, which attack tooth enamel and can even destroy it in the long term. Other bacteria that are found in plaque form odorous sulfur compounds, which results in bad breath.
All of these processes are harmful to the teeth. So there is a lot of truth in the saying “Sugar is bad for your teeth”, especially when it is not properly cared for. It is therefore advisable to rinse your mouth and brush your teeth after consuming high-sugar foods and drinks.
Other causes of dental plaque
In addition to the main causes of lifestyle and disposition, other factors can promote plaque formation. These included:
- Smoking, because the pollutants, tar and nicotine, make the teeth yellow and look brown
- Color-intensive foods such as coffee, black tea, red wine or spices such as curry and turmeric can stain teeth
- little saliva production (dry mouth)
- Medication
- a weakened immune system
Thorough dental care is the best prophylaxis
How much plaque can spread and get stuck in the oral cavity is up to you. The thoroughness and regularity of dental care are all crucial factors. Simply scrubbing your teeth is not enough, teeth cleaning should be done as follows:
- Take a toothpaste containing fluoride like our LACALUT® Aktiv toothpaste and take each tooth individually. Whether you use a simple manual toothbrush or an electric one is up to your own preferences.
- Once all sides of the teeth have been cleaned with the toothbrush, floss and ideally interdental brushes follow . These tools can also be used to clean hard-to-reach spaces between the teeth.
- A tongue scraper or tongue brush is suitable to reduce the bacterial load in the mouth or on the tongue .
- Finally, an antibacterial mouth rinse from the pharmacy such as our LACALUT® Aktiv mouth rinse solution or a homemade one made from chamomile tea can reduce plaque
You can even feel how effective brushing your teeth was by feeling and comparing the surface of your teeth with your tongue before and after brushing your teeth. If everything is smooth instead of rough, you brushed your teeth carefully. In addition, you should have a routine check-up at the dentist at least once a year, preferably twice, in order to identify hidden plaque and tartar and to remove them with a professional teeth cleaning. In contrast to brushing your teeth at home, professional teeth cleaning uses ultrasound devices and various hand instruments such as scalers and curettes to remove solid tartar.
Particularly vulnerable areas in the mouth
Some areas are particularly prone to plaque build-up because they are harder to get to when brushing your teeth. These should be thoroughly cleaned accordingly:
- the dimples of the teeth (medical: fissures)
- Interdental spaces
- Gingival margin
- dentures
- Partial or full dentures
- bridges
- Crown
- Fixed braces or splints
This can be counteracted to a certain extent with dental floss and interdental brushes , but these areas are always more vulnerable than, for example, the fronts of the incisors. To a certain extent, tooth coloring tablets can also help to check your own teeth brushing. These make the plaque visible by the coloring agents from the tablet attaching to the plaque that is still present. This makes problem areas visible.
Increased risk for pregnant women
Dental care is particularly important during pregnancy because the changed hormone balance makes the oral cavity more susceptible to inflammation of the gums and diseases such as periodontitis. That is why it is all the more important for pregnant women to regularly and thoroughly remove plaque before it causes problems – better once too much than too little.
When to see a doctor
Most people don’t go to their dentist until the plaque has turned into tartar and may even cause painful inflammation. If the plaque causes discomfort over a long period of time, a dentist should clarify whether there are possibly serious causes behind it. The routine examination should be firmly on the calendar!