The plaque on your teeth is made of invisible masses of harmful germs. These live in your mouth and stick to your teeth. Some types of plaque can cause gum disease, and others can cause tooth decay, advises the National Institutes of Health. Plaque is hard to see unless you use some sort of coloring to stain it. There are many ways to remove plaque from your teeth.
Floss
Flossing is the first step in plaque removal, states NIH. This removes food particles as well as germs. Make sure you ease the floss between your teeth gently because snapping it through can harm your gums. Floss between all your teeth and then rinse your mouth.
Brush
You can use either a manual or electric toothbrush to remove plaque on a daily basis, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology. Electric toothbrushes are more effective, and manual toothbrushes are typically used with more force, reports lead study author G.A. van der Weijden. There is, however, no significant relationship between plaque removal and brushing force, van der Weijden notes. The NIH recommends using a circular motion if you choose a manual toothbrush and to avoid scrubbing hard with a back-and-forth motion. Use fluoride toothpaste and also brush your tongue, because any food residue left in your mouth can lead to tooth decay. The Encyclopedia of Family Health recommends brushing for at least three minutes in each session.
Professional Help
When plaque builds up, it hardens into tartar, which bonds strongly to your tooth enamel, according to Dental Health Magazine. Tartar looks yellow or brown and cannot be brushed off. You need to have a dental professional remove your tartar, according to the magazine. The dentist may use a technique called scaling. This involves removing tartar by mechanically fracturing tartar deposits off each tooth. This is followed by tooth polishing and a deep cleaning of your mouth.
References
- PubMed.gov: Journal of Clinical Periodontology; Toothbrushing Force in Relation to Plaque Removal; G.A. van der Weijden et al.; 1996
- National Institutes of Health: Plaque: What It Is and How to Get Rid of It
- Encyclopedia of Family Health; David B. Jacoby and R.M. Youngson; 2004
- Dental Health Magazine: Calculus or Tooth Tartar Removal Procedure
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