Dental plaque is one of those parts of your oral health that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t get rid of. In fact, as soon as you brush your teeth in order to get rid of dental plaque, it only takes a matter of minutes for dental plaque to form. Composed of things such as saliva, leftover food particles, and even dead cells, there’s virtually no escaping the fact that you will get plaque on your teeth. Read on to learn more about the truth behind dental plaque and how you can prevent it from spreading across your mouth.
Constantly Forming
As mentioned above, just a few minutes after you brush your teeth, the plaque that you thought you got rid of will come back in full force. Why exactly? Your saliva carries a substance called clycoproteins which attach themselves to your teeth and form something called dental pellicle. Dental pellicle, when combined with other types of bacteria, will grow and gradually turn into plaque.
It Creates Acids
Plaque is the most harmful to you and your mouth when it grows a type of acid called anaerobic bacteria. This type of bacteria thrive off of breaking down both sugars and starches which then turn into plaque. These acids are harmful to your teeth because they can weaken your enamel and lead to further decay problems such as pulpits.
How to Prevent These Problems
The best and most basic ways to protect your teeth against harmful bacteria and plaque include brushing and flossing your teeth twice daily and visiting McDowell Dental Group every six months for cleanings. By cutting down the time that plaque has to sit on your teeth and grow, you can help to prevent against getting any sort of cavities or oral infection.
As mentioned above, there is no real way to rid yourself of plaque permanently. However, by taking proper and basic care of your teeth, you can help to minimize any damaging effects that plaque may have. To schedule your next dental cleaning with McDowell Dental Group, contact our office today and one of our professionals will gladly assist you.
