Dentoword : Today's Word is 'Dental Plaque'.

 Welcome to Dentoword:
Learn your dental terms with detailed explanation
 
  Today's word is "Dental Plaque"

Dental Plaque: "The Main Culprit of Oral Health Problems".

In our previous post, we discussed tooth sensitivity. If you haven't read it yet, click on the link below. 

Tooth Sensitivity

Today, we will talk about the root cause of many oral health issues: dental plaque. Dental plaque is a thin, colorless layer that contains numerous bacteria and forms on teeth repeatedly due to poor oral hygiene practices. Over time, it can lead to various oral health problems such as tooth decay and gum diseases. So, let's start our dentoword journey with today's word: dental plaque.

What is dental plaque?

• Dental plaque, also known as a biofilm, is a structured, resilient, yellow-grayish substance primarily composed of microorganisms.
•  It adheres tenaciously to intraoral hard surfaces, including removable and fixed restorations. 
• Plaque consists of both organic and inorganic constituents. 
  
  
  
• The organic components include polysaccharides, proteins, glycoproteins, lipid material, and DNA. 
• The inorganic components are mainly calcium and phosphorus, with trace amounts of other minerals such as sodium, potassium, and fluoride. 
• One gram of plaque (wet weight) contains approximately 10¹¹ bacteria.

Classification of Dental Plaque :

• Supragingival Plaque:

This type of plaque is located at or above the gingival margin.

• Subgingival Plaque:

This type of plaque is found below the gingival margin.

Causes of Dental Plaque Formation:

1. Poor Oral Hygiene:

   Inadequate oral hygiene practices lead to the accumulation of food particles and sticky substances around the teeth, resulting in plaque formation.

2. Improper Diet:

   Consuming sticky food items, chocolates, sugary drinks, and a deficiency of fibrous foods can contribute to plaque accumulation around the teeth.

3. Dehydration and Dry Mouth:

   Drinking less water can cause dehydration and dry mouth, which in turn promotes plaque formation.

4. Bad Habits:

   Habits like smoking, chewing tobacco, and using mishri can lead to the accumulation of substances in the oral cavity, increasing plaque formation.

Prevention of Dental Plaque:

A. Oral Hygiene Practices:

• Brush twice daily.
• Floss daily to clean between the teeth.
• Clean your tongue using a tongue cleaner.
• Gargle with water after meals to flush out food particles from your mouth.
• Use mouthwash if prescribed by your dentist to minimize plaque formation.

B. Balanced Diet 

• Minimize sugary food items and snacking between meals.
• Eat sugary items during meal times and avoid consuming them between meals.
• Increase the amount of fibrous foods in your daily diet.

C. Stay Hydrated 

• Drink plenty of water to keep your oral cavity moist.
• It also helps to increase saliva production, which helps to flush out food particles that stick to the tooth surfaces.

D. Regular Dental Check-ups 

• Visit your dentist every six months for early diagnosis of oral health issues and professional cleaning.

Treatment of Dental Plaque:

1. Professional Cleaning: Dental plaque that is not removed by brushing at home requires professional cleaning at a dental clinic using dental instruments.

2. Deep plaque accumulation can lead to pocket formation, requiring scaling and root planing. In some cases, flap surgery is needed to clean the deep tooth surfaces with the help of instruments.

3. Mouthwash prescribed by a dentist may be used in severe cases to control plaque formation.

4. Antibiotics may be prescribed in severe cases to control bacterial growth and plaque accumulation.

5. Stopping smoking is mandatory to minimize plaque formation.

Conclusion:

Dental plaque, the main culprit silently accumulating in your mouth when oral hygiene is neglected, causes various oral health problems. By understanding its causes, prevention, and treatment, we can minimize plaque accumulation and protect our teeth from diseases.

Request to Reader:

Thank you for reading today's blog post. If you have any queries, please let me know in the comment section. If you haven't been visiting your dentist every six months, consider starting to protect your teeth from dental issues.

References :

1.Newman and Carranza's Essentials of Clinical Periodontology: An Integrated Study Companion / Michael G. Newman, et al. - Elsevier (2022).

2.Image credit :
www.vecteezy.com.