What Happens If Plaque Builds Up In Your Mouth?

Have you wondered what happens from plaque buildup in Norwood? Even with the best oral hygiene routines, it can accumulate in the nooks and crannies of your mouth, harden, and form into tartar, which you won’t be able to remove at home. This can have serious effects on your oral health and open the door to issues like cavities and gum disease invading your mouth. The best way to keep this from happening is to learn about what role it plays in creating bacteria accumulation and how you can stop it by reading below.

What is Plaque?

Plaque is a sticky film that’s created from a combination of saliva, food particles, and bacteria from your mouth that sticks to your teeth. It forms quickly after you eat meals and don’t properly brush afterward. Within 48 hours after it coats your teeth, if it isn’t removed, it hardens and forms into tartar, which can only be cleared away by being scraped off at your dental checkup and cleaning.

Your mouth creates plaque when you break down food into carbs and they bond with oral bacteria that feed on them. After the bacteria are finished feeding, it releases an acid that causes enamel erosion, making your teeth vulnerable to cavities. Unless it’s regularly removed, more bacterial waste will be produced, causing your oral health to decline and issues to develop.

What Happens When Plaque and Tartar Builds Up?

Tartar and plaque cause harmful oral bacteria accumulation, which introduces acid and toxins into your mouth that can irritate and inflame gums and cause dental decay. When the issue is left unaddressed, it can develop into a harmful, irreversible disease called periodontitis, which is a bacterial gum infection. When it progresses, the condition becomes irreversible, causing several symptoms such as:

• Bleeding, swollen, and tender gums.
• Receding gums.
• Oral sores.
• Chronic bad breath.
• Pockets of pus between your gums and teeth.
• Loose or separating teeth.
• Tooth loss

Without a regular oral hygiene routine and semi-annual checkups and cleanings with your dentist, oral health issues will only become more severe over time. This can result in the need for invasive or extensive dental treatments such as restorations and root canal therapy.

How Can You Prevent Plaque Accumulation?

There are several ways that you can prevent plaque and tartar buildup, but the best is to develop and maintain a great oral hygiene routine. The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice a day for two minutes with a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste. Also, be sure to floss every day to remove food particles wedged between your teeth. To control the number of bacteria in your mouth, you can also rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash each day.

If you’re concerned about your oral health and aren’t sure whether your hygiene routine is effective enough to remove plaque from your gumline and mouth, speak with your dentist about different techniques and tools you can use. They’ll be able to recommend helpful oral hygiene products based on examining your teeth and gums.

About the Author

Dr. John Michaels has completed over 1,000 hours of continuing education courses in cosmetic services, implants, endodontics, periodontics, and orthodontics, allowing him to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements. He has won several awards and has been voted Top Dentist and Dental Care on Boston Consumers’ Checkbook. With a focus on providing high-quality and thorough preventive dental care, he’s able to keep his patients’ small issues from developing into more serious ones down the road. For questions or to schedule a checkup and cleaning, visit Norwood Dental Care’s website or call 781-769-6140.