poor oral hygiene

Plaque vs. Tartar: What’s The Difference?

fun fYou’ve probably heard of these two troublemakers before. As we all strive to keep these guys away and off our teeth, we want to establish exactly what they are, how they affect your oral hygiene, and how to tell the difference if you’ve been slacking on your teeth-cleaning program.

First, lets talk plaque. It builds up around the gum line and takes form of a sticky, colorless, soft substance. It is made up of food particles and saliva that form into a film of bacteria.This is the culprit for cavities due to the acid it contains. Plaque also causes the gums to bleed if you are brushing or flossing! So it is best to keep an eye out for this pest and have it stay clear from any buildup on your teeth. If not, it can eventually harden into tartar if it isn’t removed each day.

Now, let’s talk tartar. Tartar, which is hardened plaque, takes form of a yellow, yellowish-brown color and is hard, porous, and crusty. It is hard because it comes from the mineral deposits in saliva. This bad guy can not only cause cavities, but also gum disease and tooth loss. So you’d most definitely want to avoid tartar buildup at all times!

So now how do you actually remove these burdens from your precious chompers? Plaque can simply be removed by brushing, flossing, and rinsing on a daily basis. Tartar, on the other hand, is a little more difficult to get rid of. You would need surgery to remove any if it has has formed below the gum line. To prevent any of this from happening, the best solution would be to use tartar-control toothpaste while brushing and flossing vigilantly.

Bad Breath, Be Gone!

So how do you keep good smelling breath to stick around longer? We have a few tips to keep you and your mouth smelling fresh throughout the day.

  • Chow down on some veggies! These guys will balance out the bad-breath-causing acid in your body.
  • Consuming hard texture foods like apples and celery are beneficial for rubbing away any bacteria or residue left on your teeth.
  • Stay hydrated! Drink 48 oz – or about 6 cups – of water a day to keep bacteria under control by lubricating your mouth without any acidic chemicals involved.
  • Like we went over in previous posts, brush, floss, and clean your tongue as well as rinse with alcohol-free mouthwash. Chewing sugarless gum also helps!
  • Tea anyone? Having a cup of tea can wash away smelly germs while preventing any bad-breath-bacteria from forming
  • Having some yogurt keeps your mouth smelling nice and sweet from its probiotics

6 Long Term Health Effects of Poor Oral Hygiene

People generally agree that good oral hygiene is essential to overall good health.  But do you know why?

Unfortunately, many of us don’t.  We know there is a connection; we’re just not exactly sure how deep that connection is.

This lack of knowledge has undoubtedly led to the childhood dental disease epidemic that is currently running rampant in the US.  After all, if parents knew the long-term consequences of poor oral health, brushing and flossing would surely move to the top of the priority list.

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Here are just a handful of the dangers of poor oral hygiene:

  • Increased risk of heart attack – Oral bacteria and gum inflammation can lead to arterial inflammation, plaque build-up, and clotting.
  • Increased risk of stroke – Can cause plaque build-up in carotid arteries and clotting.
  • Increased risk of dementia – Studies show a relationship between people who lost more teeth before the age of 35 and an increased risk of dementia.
  • Severe diabetes mellitus – Severe periodontal disease often accompanies severe diabetes mellitus and is considered the 6th complication of diabetes.
  • Pregnancy complications – Increased risk of having a pre-term baby or baby with low birth weight.
  • Respiratory disease – Oral bacteria can be breathed into lungs and cause infections such as pneumonia or exacerbate existing conditions, such as COPD.

(Want the more scientific explanation? This article goes into more detail.)

While it is true that baby teeth will eventually fall out, it is NOT true that the unhealthiness will disappear wtih them.  Unhealthy baby teeth lead directly to unhealthy adult teeth – as well as the long list of complications to go along with them.

It might be a battle every night over brushing, but it’s definitely a battle you want to pick.