By Dr. Edward Camacho
A sticky sometimes colorless film that contains bacteria, accumulates on the surfaces of teeth every 12-24 hours.
Most of us feel the presence of plaque in the morning when our teeth have a fuzzy feeling like they have a sweater on.
You can do to prevent plaque from forming, it is part of the environment of your oral cavity.
Plaque must be removed by mechanical means such as brushing and flossing using proper technique.
Proper technique because most patients need to be educated on the correct way to brush and floss. If it is not removed every 12-24 hours it starts to form hard deposits called tartar
Once it hardens into tartar, you cannot remove it with brushing, flossing, use of a Waterpik, mouthwash, or any other type of oral care device.
Causes inflammation which triggers mechanisms that start to erode the bone around the tooth and this is what leads to gum disease and tooth loss. The Tartar must be removed by your hygienist or dentist.
who brush and floss daily usually still get some tartar buildup so that is why it is important to get your teeth cleaned on a regular basis. For most patients that means 2x a year.
I will talk answer the question what the difference between gingivitis and periodontal or gum disease is