What Contributes To Plaque And Tartar Build-up?

Taking care of our oral health greatly affects our well-being as a whole. Ever since we got our first set of teeth, we have been taking care of them and have been taught about the factors that can contribute to teeth-loss.

You probably picked up somewhere that brushing your teeth at least twice a day is barely enough to achieve good oral health. Arguably, nobody wants poor oral health, that is why dental practitioners also recommend rinsing your mouth with mouthwash or take extra time to floss for a healthier smile.

However, following these instructions are only a way to prolong the proper functionality of your teeth and mouth. Losing and damaging your teeth is something you can consider as inevitable.

Dental Biofilm: Contributing to Tartar Build-up

Tooth plaque, microbial plaque, and dental biofilm. These are all terms used to identify dental plaque or simply, plaque.

Dental plaque is the soft and sticky layer of different microbes that builds up on your teeth and along the gum line. It may range from being slightly transparent to pale yellowish color and regularly forms in your mouth within hours.

When you eat, your saliva, the food you eat, and pre-existing bacterias mix together to produce an environment in your mouth that encourages even more bacterial growth. The bacteria eats any food particles that are left, and their waste produces an acid that will then begin to damage the enamel and your gums.

The longer that the bacteria stays inside your mouth, the more serious damage it can do.

Bacterias and plaque deposits would steadily accumulate in your mouth, teeth, and gums until the damage becomes permanent.

Accumulation of Dental Plaque Results in Tartar Build-up

Tartar is a result of eating food products that encourage the growth of plaque bacteria in your mouth. These food products help build a stable environment for bacterias and acid to thrive.

The most common types of food that nourish these bad bacterias are carbohydrates, sucrose, and starch. Eating foods such as candies, cakes, sweets, and drinking sugary drinks is a sure way of getting tartar build-up.

The build-up of dental biofilm can be removed with regular brushing of your teeth, flossing, and gargling with mouthwash. The longer you neglect your oral health, the faster bacteria and acid do their job of creating damage to your oral health.

Within 24-72 hours, minerals from your saliva that has mixed with plaque and bacteria harden, this is what the tartar is.

The hardened tartar can be removed by your dentist in the process called teeth cleaning. Once you’ve noticed tartar build-up in your teeth, it is a good idea to visit your nearest dental practitioner for a dental cleaning.

A dental cleaning is a swift process, and we provide this common dental procedure and a lot more at our trusted dental clinic in Chandler, AZ.