West Hollywood Dentist

One of the Most Trusted Holistic Dentists in Los Angeles, CA

7865 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-2840

With A quarter century experience in dentistry, West Hollywood Holistic and Cosmetic Dentistry offers most dental treatments in one office. Call us today to schedule your free dental consultation.

What are Dental Plaque and Tartar

Dental Plaque and Tartar

What are Dental Plaque and Tartar

Plaque And Tartar: Bad For Your Teeth And Bad For Your Health

If you notice that your smile isn’t as bright as it once was or if your teeth and mouth don’t feel clean, even after brushing, then you may need your teeth cleaned. Holistic Smile Care provides dental cleaning in Los Angeles that will restore your dental health and your beautiful smile.

What Is Dental Plaque And What Is Dental Tartar?

Sometimes, after eating food that’s high in carbohydrate or fat, your teeth may feel fuzzy or sticky. That’s the beginning of plaque formation. Left on the teeth, it will turn into tartar, at which point, it will be considerably more difficult to remove. Plaque and tartar are the same thing, but tartar is the more advanced stage of the two and left untreated, it can ultimately cause you to lose all your teeth and it can adversely affect your overall health.

Plaque can be colorless or it can have a yellowish tinge, and it’s the product of the food, saliva, and fluids that come into contact on the teeth. In addition, the small crevices between your teeth and gums as well as the spaces between your teeth can become breeding grounds for bacteria, which encourages the formation of plaque and tartar. However, a daily regimen of good oral hygiene that includes brushing and flossing at least once each day — more often is preferable — can deter the formation of plaque and tartar. You should have regular dental checkups at a reputable dental practice such as Holistic Smile Care.

What Causes Dental Plaque And Tartar?

Dental plaque is caused by improper oral hygiene. After eating and drinking, you should brush and floss your teeth so that you remove any bacteria that have started to form on or between your teeth. These two simple actions are the basis of good oral hygiene and they are the easiest ways to help keep your tooth enamel from being destroyed or damaged by bacteria.

The mouth is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria because it’s dark, warm, and moist. If the bacteria have no food to latch onto, they will lodge in the crevices between the teeth and the gums and begin to form plaque. For this reason, it’s imperative to have a good oral hygiene program that includes dental cleaning in Los Angeles at Holistic Smile Care. Additionally, when plaque remains on the teeth, which it will unless it’s removed through brushing and flossing, then it will turn into tartar. At that point, not only will your oral health be compromised, but your physical health can suffer as well.

Tartar is a very hard substance that can only be removed by a dental professional, such as those at Holistic Smile Care. If it’s not removed, then you’ll begin to have gum disease, which can ultimately cause you to lose all of your teeth.

How Can I Prevent The Formation Of Dental Plaque And Tartar?

The simple actions of maintaining good oral hygiene through daily brushing and flossing can prevent the formation of plaque and tartar. Of course, you need to have at least annual checkups to ensure there are no hidden issues with your teeth, but brushing and flossing will help tremendously. A program of good oral hygiene that includes regular dental checkups is the best way to prevent the buildup of plaque and the formation of tartar.

If brushing or flossing after a meal isn’t feasible, then drink a glass or two of plain water or rinse your mouth well with plain water. This will help remove some of the bacteria and the food sugars that remain in your mouth. Most foods that you eat will turn into some form of sugar which can encourage the formation of plaque, so rinsing your mouth with water will help remove some of the harmful bacteria.

How Are Dental Plaque And Dental Tartar Removed?

Dental plaque can be successfully removed by brushing and flossing as soon as possible after eating. When plaque is removed at least daily through these two methods, there will be less likelihood of tartar forming on your teeth. If the plaque isn’t removed at least daily, then you’ll begin to form tartar, which is a very hard substance that can only be removed by a dental professional such as those at Holistic Smile Care in the Los Angeles area.

During your dental cleaning, your dentist or hygienist will use a scaler to remove tartar from your teeth. Tartar is very hard and it may form first on the back of the teeth. The more tartar buildup you have, the longer your dental cleaning will take. Usually, the procedure won’t be painful, but if you have an excessive amount of tartar, then your gums may be inflamed. If this is the case, then you may experience some pain during the removal of the tartar. Your dentist can use either a topical or a local anesthetic, if necessary, to alleviate your pain.

Although many over-the-counter dental products claim to prevent the formation of plaque and tartar, they don’t take the place of a program of regular brushing and flossing and regular dental checkups. If you have a considerable amount of tartar and it has adversely impacted your gums, your dentist may recommend root planing and scaling. However, the best treatment is prevention, and by following a program of good oral hygiene, you’ll prevent plaque from building up and turning into tartar and causing periodontal disease.

Your teeth aren’t self-healing. Once they’ve been damaged, your only recourse is reconstructive dentistry or replacing them with artificial teeth or implants. Proper care and maintenance of your teeth, starting at an early age and continuing on through adulthood, will ensure that you have good oral health and good physical health. Since your oral health and your dental health are inextricably linked, by maintaining your good oral health, you’ll be contributing to your good overall health. So be sure to make an appointment for your annual checkup today and get started on your lifelong dedication to good oral health.

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