When you eat or drink, plaque bacteria forms in your mouth to digest any sugar found on your teeth. Plaque is sticky. As plaque digests the sugar on your teeth, it forms acids which can also stick to your teeth. Plaque can attack your tooth enamel. Prolonged exposure to plaque can cause dental caries and gum disease. You should brush your teeth twice a day and use floss to remove food particles that may be lodged between your teeth, according to the American Dental Association.
According to the School of Dentistry at the University of California, Los Angeles, dental plaque is a soft deposit that builds up on the enamel of teeth. It occurs due to bacteria growth and is composed of bacteria, phosphorus ...
Oral plaque is a common dental problem which causes a film to appear on the teeth. Oral plaque is the result of inadequate brushing and flossing and can cause serious problems. Plaque can be visualized by staining it with speci...
Calculus, also known as tarter, is a calcified deposit on your teeth. It occurs when dental plaque is not removed by regular brushing and flossing. Plaque is soft and sticky, but over time, it hardens and turns to calculus. Ev...
Plaque begins to harden almost immediately, hardening about 50 percent in just 48 hours and becoming rock hard in 12 days. When plaque becomes rock hard, it is then referred to as tartar or dental calculus.
