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  • Written by Marife Boiser


Taking care of your teeth and ensuring they are healthy is part of ideal self-care. There are essential things you need to know about dental plaques that can save your teeth from pain and expensive dental procedures. Learn more about how you can take better care of your teeth by keeping plaque to a minimum with the following tips.


What is Dental Plaque?


Good oral health begins with ideal conditions inside your mouth. Dental plaque starts when you neglect cleaning your teeth regularly each day. Plaque results from the build-up of fluids and saliva, which contain bacterial deposits that produce a colourless biofilm - they stick to your teeth and cause problems later. 


Causes of Dental Plaque


It would be helpful to know what causes plaque so that you can avoid tooth pain and loss. Here are common causes of dental plaque:

Neglecting your oral hygiene

Brushing and flossing, along with regular dental checkups, ensure that you have the ideal oral environment to keep plaque at bay. When you don't brush at least twice a day, food, fluids, and saliva combine to produce bacteria that create plaque build-up.

It would help if you also had the right oral hygiene tools: a quality toothbrush, and dental floss to prevent food bits from remaining on your teeth. You can also use fluoride toothpaste made especially to fight plaque.

Eating high-carbohydrate foods often

Not many people know that eating a high carb diet also contributes to increased sugar consumption. Carbs convert into sugar, so they also have the same effect as sweets. Even healthy food or healthy drinks like milk in high amounts without regular brushing can cause build-up. While we can't avoid eating them, it is recommended to brush teeth at least twice a day to keep your teeth clean.

Consuming a lot of sweets

Foods that contain sugar, including those with high starches and sucrose, are bad for your oral health. Cake candy and soda are often the biggest causes of dental plaque. Most of these sugary drinks and sweets stick to teeth and are harder to remove with simple brushing.
That's why it's also best to have your teeth professionally cleaned at least every six months. Dental plaque, when ignored, turns into a more formidable build-up called Tartar. It can create cavities that cause tooth breakdown and eventual loss. For more information on preventing tooth plaque, visit https://www.claremontdentalperth.com.au/news/causes-of-tooth-plaque. 


Final Thoughts


Plaque is often colourless or pale yellow, which makes it difficult to detect. To maintain your smile, and keep a full set of teeth for longer, try to take better care of your teeth each day. Brushing at least twice a day, along with regular flossing, can be a big step for better oral health.

A healthier mouth can give you not only the best smile, but it can also let you enjoy eating good food without any discomfort. Don't forget to visit your dentist at least twice a year to detect any potential problems. Get regular professional cleaning, and try eating food with fewer carbs and sugars to maintain healthier teeth.