Contents:
- Medical Video: Reducing Plaque Buildup in Teeth : Caring for Your Teeth
- What causes dental plaque to appear?
- How to prevent dental plaque?
- 1. Brush your teeth at least twice a day
- 2. Use mouthwash (mouthwash)
- 3. Avoid consuming sweet, sour, and carbonated foods
- 4. Drink more water
- 5. Don't smoke
Medical Video: Reducing Plaque Buildup in Teeth : Caring for Your Teeth
Dental plaque is bacteria or dirt that attaches and lives in the oral cavity due to leftovers from the teeth. If left unchecked, the plaque on the teeth that were originally yellow will become more hardened and blackened, so that it will look like a rock attached to the teeth.
What causes dental plaque to appear?
Some bad habits that you often do can be the cause of the appearance of plaque on your teeth. such habits include rarely brushing your teeth, consuming too many sweet foods, rarely consuming vegetables and fruit, and rarely controlling to the dentist to routinely check dental health.
Unfortunately, there are still many people who underestimate dental plaque. Even if left unchecked, the remaining food that accumulates can cause decay in the teeth, so that bacteria develop in the area and can cause bad breath and gum inflammation.
How to prevent dental plaque?
Therefore, to prevent dental plaque from occurring, there are a number of things you need to do, including:
1. Brush your teeth at least twice a day
The best way to prevent plaque is to regularly brush your teeth at least twice a day. When you brush your teeth, you help remove food scraps and plaques that form on your teeth, and prevent worse plaque development.
Some of the things you need to pay attention to in brushing your teeth are:
- Brush your teeth after consuming sweet foods / drinks
- You are not recommended to brush your teeth 30 minutes after consuming acidic foods / drinks. The acid contained in these foods / drinks can weaken the tooth enamel, and brushing your teeth too hard can remove tooth enamel. Therefore, you should brush your teeth before eating acidic foods or drinks.
- Rub or clean between teeth with dental floss or dental floss, because between teeth is one of the places where plaque develops.
- Rub your tongue to remove bacteria and keep your breath fresh.
Another thing you need to know is that you are recommended to change your toothbrush every three or four months, immediately rinse your toothbrush with tap water after use, store toothbrushes in an open place, and use a soft bristle toothbrush because of a toothbrush hard can damage tooth enamel.
2. Use mouthwash (mouthwash)
Another thing you can do to prevent dental plaque is to use mouthwash. Make sure you buy a mouthwash that has an "antibacterial" label. The use of mouthwash facilitates the removal of plaque. Of course you still need to brush your teeth and clean between teeth withflossing.
3. Avoid consuming sweet, sour, and carbonated foods
The more sweet / sour your food is, the more bacteria you have to overcome. Sweet and sour foods can cause decay which triggers the formation of plaque on the teeth. But if you are really a sweet food / drink lover, the things you need to know are:
- If you eat sweets, immediately clean your mouth by drinking lots of water.
- When drinking soft drinks, use a straw that is positioned to the back of the mouth to reduce the impact of consuming the drink. Drinks that contain lots of acids that can remove tooth enamel.
4. Drink more water
Drinking enough water can keep your mouth hydrated, making your mouth produce a lot of saliva that can help cleanse your mouth.
5. Don't smoke
Although cigarettes do not have a direct impact on the formation of dental plaques, smoking can lead to worse plaque development. A study shows that smoking can cause yellowing of teeth, increasing the risk of tooth loss, and periodontal disease.
You are also highly recommended to go to the dentist or oral health expert at least every six months to check and clean your teeth, so that you can prevent the appearance of unwanted dental plaque.
