Dental health goes well beyond strong teeth and a charming smile. Like your hair and skin, the human mouth mirrors what happens in your body. Often, the consequences of unhealthy lifestyle choices manifest in your mouth. It also works the other way around. Poor oral hygiene can have negative effects on overall health. For example, plaque on teeth can lead to decay, gum disease, and even potential heart problems.
Find out how plaque on teeth can lead to serious conditions. The good news? You can fix your habits to address this dental issue!
What is dental plaque?
Plaque is a colourless or yellowish film of bacteria that forms over teeth and along the gumline. The bacteria develop when fluids, food particles, and saliva combine, producing acids that destroy tooth enamel.
Left untreated, plaque can cause cavities and gingivitis. Worse, it can harden into tartar. But the power is in your hands to ensure it doesn’t get to that stage. Read on to the end of this article for our tips on beating dental plaque
What does plaque on teeth look or feel like?
Plaque is colourless, but food particles are more likely to stick to it, causing tooth discolouration. Bacteria build-up can also lead to a “fuzzy” feeling and appearance. You can run your tongue along your teeth to feel for it.
What causes plaque?
Plaque occurs naturally in your mouth because it is warm and wet – an ideal environment for developing bacteria. Introducing other biological materials, like food and beverages, only encourages plaque formation.
Keep in mind, plaque doesn’t cause tooth decay or gum disease alone. Failing to clean plaque away regularly increases your likelihood of developing these conditions.
Allowing a build-up can cause several oral health problems. It can calcify into tartar. When the bacteria in your mouth interact with sugars from food and drinks, it creates acids that can erode the enamel of your teeth, leading to tooth decay and cavities.
Being vigilant in brushing and clearing plaque from your teeth at least twice a day will go a long way to improving your oral hygiene and overall health.
What is tartar?
Think of tartar or calculus as extreme plaque. It refers to the hard yellow-brown calcified plaque deposits that coat the teeth and gums. Tartar forms when plaque combines with minerals found in saliva.
Unlike plaque, which you can wash away with diligent toothbrushing, you’ll need a dentist to remove it. Untreated tartar leads to gum disease and other serious health concerns.
What are the symptoms of plaque on teeth?
Everyone has dental plaque – it forms within four to 12 hours after brushing, so disciplined oral hygiene practices keep it at bay. You’re in danger of build–up if you’re experiencing the following:
- Fuzzy feeling on the teeth
- Chronic bad bread (halitosis)
- Cavities
- Tooth decay and loss
- Abscessed tooth (infection)
- Receding gum line
- Red, swollen, and tender gums
- Bleeding gums after brushing or flossing
If any of these indicators present themselves, visit your dentist before it worsens.
How can you prevent plaque and tartar?
Plaque will inevitably build up in your mouth, but cleaning your teeth regularly and thoroughly keeps it from mixing with minerals in your saliva and turning hard. Once this happens, you may need to go in for a dental check-up to have your teeth cleaned professionally.
So good oral hygiene is the best prevention method for the problems caused by plaque build-up.
You can also limit the tooth decay caused by plaque by eating healthy. The bacteria in your mouth use sugar from the food and drinks you consume to make acid, which then attacks your teeth.
Limiting your sugar intake, especially from food like cereals and breads and beverages like soft drinks and juices, goes a long way to keeping your teeth healthy.
Another thing you can do to prevent plaque build-up on teeth is to look into straightening solutions. Crooked teeth make it easier for bacteria to stick to them, and gaps attract food particles that encourage plaque formation.
See your dentist about options to correct misalignments. Although if you are concerned with plaque specifically, note that fixed orthodontic devices like braces make build-ups more common because the brackets and wires provide more surfaces for the bacteria to cling to. So, you may want to ask if you would be a good candidate for removable devices like ClearCorrect aligners.
ClearCorrect features revolutionary ClearQuartz, a tri-layer material with two durable and stain-resistant outer layers and a middle layer designed to be more elastic and reduce stiffness, providing consistent force to your teeth while keeping you as comfortable as possible.
If you don’t get a handle on oral diseases right away, they can negatively affect the rest of your body. The effect of plaque and tartar extends beyond your periodontal health. Over the years, various research correlates plaque buildup to diseases like dementia, arthritis, and diabetes.
How does plaque on teeth affect your health?
If you don’t get a handle on oral diseases right away, they can negatively affect the rest of your body. The effect of plaque and tartar extends beyond your dental health. Over the years, various research has linked plaque build–up to diseases like dementia, arthritis, and diabetes.
Plaque formation is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.
There is also bidirectional relationship between periodontitis (a severe form of gum disease) and rheumatoid arthritis. At any given point, your body houses trillions of bacteria that are generally beneficial and protective against edema, a symptom of RA. However, bacteria from plaque shifts these microbial communities, potentially stimulating an immune response that triggers swelling.
Plaque impacts brain function.
According to the National Institutes of Health, poor oral hygiene initiates a domino effect. Plaque introduces increased bacteria in the mouth, which may cause inflammation, raising the risk of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. This sequence of events could lead to dementia.
Remember how plaque on teeth can lead to gum disease and tooth loss? The report also shows a direct relationship between tooth loss, particularly in senior citizens, and cognitive incline. Those missing more teeth have a 48% higher risk of cognitive impairment and a 28% higher risk of dementia. It really shows just how important every one of your pearly whites are!
Gum disease and diabetes go hand in hand.
Gum disease and diabetes have a two-way relationship. People with less-than-optimal sugar levels are more susceptible to dry mouth, cavities, and other oral problems. However, even non-diabetics must be careful. Gum disease can trigger inflammation, which can result in elevated blood glucose and puts you at greater risk for diabetes.
Can dental plaque cause heart problems?
Scientists have long realised a connection between gum disease and heart ailments. While the exact reasons are still unclear, Harvard Health lists several theories that explain the link:
- The bacteria that infect the gums and cause gingivitis and gum disease travel to the blood vessels. This effect causes swelling and damage, which may trigger heart attacks or strokes.
- Inflammation from the gum diseases mentioned above attacks the body’s immune response and causes vascular damage throughout the body.
A possible separate variable, such as smoking or a lack of exercise, could connect gum concerns with heart problems.
How can you get rid of plaque on teeth?
Stay on top of plaque on teeth by diligently following a dental hygiene routine:
- Brush twice daily for at least two to three minutes each time. Ask your dentist if they can recommend an electric toothbrush.
- Remember to clean where the gums and teeth meet.
- Choose fluoride-rich toothpaste.
- Use baking soda to help whiten teeth and neutralise cavity-causing acids.
- Baking soda acts as a gentle abrasive for removing plaque.
- Make it a habit to floss at least once daily to remove food remnants and bacteria.
- Consider usingoral irrigators, which work as well as regular floss.
- Use antibacterial mouthwash to reduce the risk of gum disease.
- Clean your tongue to remove food particles and bacteria.
- Visit your dentist or oral hygienist every six months for check-ups and cleaning.
Everyone gets plaque on their teeth. However, you are more vulnerable to its consequences if you have poor dental hygiene, crooked teeth, or braces. Reduce your risk of decay and damage by booking an appointment with your dentist for recommendations.
Plaque on teeth isn’t just dirt you can sweep under a rug. With proper dental care, you can avoid cavities and so much more. Visit ClearCorrect to learn your options for straight teeth. Invest in your oral health now. Your future self will thank you.
References:
Oral health and other diseases | FDI. (n.d.).
Corrêa, J. D., Fernandes, G., Calderaro, D. C., De Mendonça, S. M. S., Silva, T. A., Albiero, M. L., Cunha, F. Q., Xiao, E., Ferreira, G. A., Teixeira, A. L., Mukherjee, C., Leys, E. J., & Graves, D. T. (2019). Oral microbial dysbiosis linked to worsened periodontal condition in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Scientific Reports, 9(1).
Tooth loss in older adults linked to higher risk of dementia. (2021, October 5). National Institute on Aging.
Shmerling, R. H., MD. (2021, April 22). Gum disease and the connection to heart disease. Harvard Health.
Tooth decay. Teeth.org.au.
