What is Teeth plaque?

Have you ever noticed your teeth feel as if they are covered in an unpleasant film by the end of the day? This is teeth plaque, a soft sticky substance that contains millions of bacteria. It is important to regularly remove teeth plaque as otherwise it can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Teeth plaque has to be brushed and flossed away each day, and even plaque on baby teeth must be removed.

What Color is Teeth Plaque?

It can be tricky to see white plaque on teeth, but sometimes teeth plaque can turn yellow as it hardens into calculus. Plaque will harden into calculus if not removed within 48 hours or so. Hard plaque on teeth can only be removed during a professional dental cleaning in NJ dental office. It is also possible for plaque to become stained if a child has certain highly colored foods and drinks and in some occasions it might look as if they have black plaque on their teeth. There is also a particular strain of bacteria that can cause darker colored teeth plaque which although unpleasant to look at is relatively harmless.

How to Remove Plaque on Teeth

One of the problems with teeth plaque is that it is often difficult to see, particularly as a heavy deposit will often just appear white, or may look as if food is stuck to the teeth. This can make it tricky to brush and floss properly, especially when dental cleaning child’s teeth. One solution is to use plaque disclosing tablets which your child can chew. These can be very useful after you have cleaned your child’s teeth as they will clearly identify any areas being missed. Alternatively just get them to rinse their mouth with a few drops of food coloring dissolved in a couple of ounces of water. This will temporarily stain any remaining teeth plaque so you can then brush and floss their teeth until it is gone.

Removing Hard Plaque from Teeth

It is very difficult to remove all teeth plaque through brushing and flossing and is why everyone, including children can benefit from professional regular dental cleanings. We can clean your child’s teeth during their regular examinations at our dental office and our dentist can also give you advice on how to brush their teeth more effectively. We know it can be difficult to clean a reluctant child’s teeth, but we can offer a few tips on how to make the task a little easier.