Tartar — also known as calculus — is an accumulation of plaque and minerals from your saliva that harden. Tartar can coat the exterior of teeth and invade below the gumline. Tartar feels like a crusty blanket on teeth. Because it’s porous, food and drink can easily stain tartar. Tartar deposits, which often settle behind and in between teeth, appear yellow or brown. Tartar, and its precursor, plaque, can both wreak havoc on your dental health. Tartar and plaque can: cause bad breath, from bacteria buildup destroy enamel, the hard outer layer of teeth, which can in turn, lead to tooth sensitivity, cavities, and even tooth loss promote gum disease Stop tartar by stopping plaque Plaque can harden into tartar in a …
Learn about a variety of oral health topics on our dental blog. We discuss everything from oral cancer, to how to brush, to diabetes effects.
What is Plaque?
Plaque is a sticky film that forms on your teeth every day: You know, that slippery/fuzzy coating you feel when you first wake up. Scientists call plaque a “biofilm” because it’s actually a community of living microbes surrounded by a gluey polymer layer. The sticky coating helps the microbes attach to surfaces in your mouth so they can grow into thriving micro-colonies. The difference between plaque and tartar When plaque isn’t regularly removed, it can accumulate minerals from your saliva and harden into an off-white or yellow substance called tartar. Tartar builds up along your gumline on the fronts and backs of your teeth. Although an attentive flossing may dislodge some tartar buildup, you’ll probably need to visit a …
Osteoporosis & Oral Health
Researchers have discovered that dental x-rays are highly effective in identifying patients who have osteoporosis as compared to patients with normal bone density. Since most people see their dentist more often than they see their doctor, your dentist may be the one to help identify low bone density. Low bone density is an indicator for osteoporosis. The older you get, the greater your risk for osteoporosis. What is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a medical condition in which the bones lose density. This causes them to become brittle and fracture more easily. Osteoporosis means “porous bone.” If you’ve ever seen a pork or beef bone, you know how dense they are. You may have also noticed that they aren’t solid. In fact, they have a …
The Risks of Oral Piercings
Body piercing is a popular form of self-expression. Oral piercings or tongue splitting may look cool, but they can be dangerous to your health. That’s because your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection and swelling often occur with mouth piercings. For instance, your mouth and tongue could swell so much that you close off your airway or you could possibly choke if part of the jewelry breaks off in your mouth. In some cases, you could crack a tooth if you bite down too hard on the piercing, and repeated clicking of the jewelry against teeth can also cause damage. Oral piercing could also lead to more serious infections, like hepatitis or endocarditis. If you pierce your tongue, lips, cheeks or uvula (the tiny tissue that hangs …
Oral Cancer Risk, Symptoms & Prevention
Oral cancer is divided into two categories – those occurring in the oral cavity (your lips, the inside of your lips and cheeks, teeth, gums, the front two-thirds of your tongue and the floor and roof of your mouth) and those occurring in the oropharynx (middle region of the throat, including the tonsils and base of the tongue). Early detection may result in better treatment outcomes and may help keep you or someone you love from becoming one of the 10,030 people whose lives may be claimed this year by the disease. The 5-year survival rate of those diagnosed is approximately 60 percent. Where Can Oral Cancer Appear? The oral cavity includes your lips, cheek lining, gums, front part of your tongue, floor of the mouth beneath the tongue …
Mouthwash Types & Facts
While not a replacement for daily brushing and flossing, use of mouthwash (also called mouthrinse) may be a helpful addition to the daily dental hygiene routine for some people. Why Use Mouthwash? Just like dental floss, interdental brushes, and water flossers, mouthwash can get in between teeth. Reaching areas that your toothbrush can’t get to helps to reduce the risk of cavities and gum disease. Mouthwash can help: Prevent or control tooth decay Reduce plaque (a thin film of bacteria that forms on teeth) Prevent or reduce gingivitis (an early stage of gum disease) Reduce the speed that tartar (hardened plaque) forms on the teeth or to produce a combination of these effects Freshen breath Types of Mouthwash There …
The Truth About Oil Pulling
There have been reports in the mainstream media on “oil pulling” and its benefits for dental and general health. The claims state that oil pulling—swishing oil in the mouth—whitens teeth, and improves dental health and overall health. Oil pulling is an ancient, traditional folk remedy that has been practiced for centuries in India and southern Asia. The practice involves placing a tablespoon of an edible oil (e.g., sesame, olive, sunflower, coconut) inside the mouth, and swishing or “pulling” the oil through the teeth and mouth for anywhere from 1-5 minutes to up to 20 minutes or longer. Is oil pulling good for your mouth? Currently, there are no reliable scientific studies to show that oil pulling reduces cavities, whitens teeth …
What is Oral Thrush?
Oral thrush – or oral pseudomembranous candidiasis – is a fungal infection of the mouth common among denture wearers, infants and people with weakened immune systems. The most common human fungal infection, thrush presents as slightly raised removable plaques (resembling cottage cheese) on the tongue or inner cheek. It can also affect the roof of the mouth, gums, tonsils or back of the throat. There are three other forms of oral candidiasis infections: Erythematous candidiasis appears as red patches on the roof of the mouth and tongue. Hyperplastic (chronic) candidiasis resembles the more common type, but cannot be scraped off. Angular cheilitis looks like red sores that develop in the corners of the mouth. Oral Thrush …
Heart Disease & Oral Health
Take care of your gums...help your heart? The American Heart Association recently published a statement supporting an association between gum disease and heart disease. The article noted that current scientific data do not indicate if regular brushing and flossing or treatment of gum disease will decrease the incidence, rate or severity of the narrowing of the arteries (called atherosclerosis) that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. However, many studies show an as-yet-unexplained association between gum disease and several serious health conditions, including heart disease, even after adjusting for common risk factors. Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that support the teeth and is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. …
HPV: Head, Neck and Oral Cancers
The human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States, with 14 million new cases each year. According to the CDC, there are more than 40 types of HPV, but most are cleared from the body by the immune system without causing any health problems. Still, some types of HPV affect the mouth and throat. Low-risk strains can cause mouth or throat warts, but high-risk strains are associated with head and neck cancers (also known as oropharyngeal cancers) that affect the mouth, throat, tonsils and back of the tongue. Oral cancer is just one type of head and neck cancer. Data from the CDC indicates that about 7% of people have oral HPV, but only 1% have the type of oral HPV found in head and neck …