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 …
Brushing and flossing daily are just the start to learning about oral hygiene care, facts, and methods. Here you can learn so much more.
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 …
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 …
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. …
Fluoride: A Complete Guide
Fluoride is often called nature’s cavity fighter and for good reason. Fluoride, a naturally-occurring mineral, helps prevent cavities in children and adults by making the outer surface of your teeth (enamel) more resistant to the acid attacks that cause tooth decay. How Does Fluoride Protect Teeth? Fluoride benefits both children and adults. Here's how: Before teeth break through the gums, the fluoride taken in from foods, beverages and dietary supplements makes tooth enamel (the hard surface of the tooth) stronger, making it easier to resist tooth decay. This provides what is called a "systemic" benefit. After teeth erupt, fluoride helps rebuild (remineralize) weakened tooth enamel and reverses early signs of tooth decay. When you …
5 Steps to a Fantastic Floss
We know we should floss at least once a day, but not everyone knows the right way to do it. Use this step-by-step guide to find out how to properly floss your teeth: Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers. Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth. Hold the floss tightly …
How Diabetes affects your Oral Health
Did you know that 29.1 million people living in the United States have diabetes? That’s 9.3% of the population. Approximately 1.7 million new cases are diagnosed each year—and 8.1 million people living with diabetes don’t even know they have it. Diabetes affects your body’s ability to process sugar. All food you eat is turned to sugar and used for energy. In Type I diabetes, the body doesn’t make enough insulin, a hormone that carries sugar from your blood to the cells that need it for energy. In Type II diabetes, the body stops responding to insulin. Both cases result in high blood sugar levels, which can cause problems with your eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart and other parts of your body. So what does this have to do with that smile …
How Tooth Decay Causes Cavities
Tooth decay is the destruction of your tooth enamel, the hard, outer layer of your teeth. It can be a problem for children, teens and adults. Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, constantly forms on your teeth. When you eat or drink foods containing sugars, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel. The stickiness of the plaque keeps these acids in contact with your teeth and over time the enamel can break down. This is when cavities can form. Cavities are more common among children, but changes that occur with aging make cavities an adult problem, too. Recession of the gums away from the teeth, combined with an increased incidence of gum disease, can expose tooth roots to plaque. Tooth roots are covered with cementum, …
Cold and Flu: 5 Ways to Care for Your Mouth When You’re Sick
When she’s feeling under the weather, Beaufort dentist Dr. Ashley Covington says one thing always helps her feel a little more like herself. “Brushing my teeth when I’m sick actually makes me feel better,” she says. “My mouth feels clean, and in a way, I feel like my health is starting to improve.” When you have a cold or the flu, taking care of your body is your top priority—and that includes your mouth. “It’s important to take care of your dental health all year round, but especially when you’re sick,” Dr. Covington says. Here are some simple ways to care for your dental health when you’re not feeling well: Practice Good Hygiene When you’re sick, you know to cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze. Don’t forget to keep up your …