Bacterial plaque is often underestimated
Bacterial plaque is often underestimated because it is invisible and acts stealthily. The best remedy to counter it is good oral hygiene. The following article describes the characteristics of bacterial plaque and indicates how to identify it and what can be done to remove it…
How bacterial plaque forms
Bacterial plaque is a transparent film composed of bacteria that live in the mouth and substances from food, such as sugars, carbohydrates, and lipids. It is these latter substances, especially sugars, that allow bacteria to feed and multiply.
The bacteria that normally live in the mouth become very aggressive and dangerous in bacterial plaque.
It begins to form immediately after eating and, if not removed, can cause very serious problems. Initially, it causes inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), and over time, it can lead to periodontitis, a disease that affects the periodontium, resulting in tooth loss.
How to detect the presence of bacterial plaque
There are disclosing tablets that use a harmless dye to highlight bacterial plaque by coloring it. This makes it possible to identify and properly remove it.
If it accumulates, tartar forms over time. Unlike plaque, tartar is clearly visible; in the initial phase, it takes on a yellowish color, eventually turning brown.
The best solution for removing bacterial plaque and tartar is professional dental cleaning, to be done periodically (1-2 times a year) at your trusted dentist or hygienist.
How to defend against it
The best defense against bacterial plaque is prevention. For this reason, we at Freesmile recommend thorough oral hygiene. The most important action is brushing your teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste every day and multiple times a day.
The movement should not be horizontal, but vertical, with the toothbrush tilted at 45 degrees to facilitate the removal of plaque even in the gum line. Watch our video on how to brush your teeth correctly:
Another very important tool is dental floss, which allows you to remove bacterial plaque and food residues from the interdental spaces where the toothbrush cannot reach.
The use of anti-plaque mouthwash can also contribute to improving oral hygiene, but it can never replace the toothbrush as the primary action for removing bacterial plaque. It can only serve as an auxiliary function.
Even if there is good oral hygiene, at Freesmile we recommend having a professional teeth cleaning at least once a year. This is because there are areas that we cannot reach through our daily teeth-cleaning actions. Our dentists will remove the plaque using special manual and ultrasonic instruments.
