Plaque and Your Teeth

Plaque is the sticky, colorless film of bacteria that forms on teeth. It makes teeth "feel fuzzy" to the tongue and is most noticeable when teeth are not brushed.

What Causes Plaque and Why Is It Harmful?

Plaque develops when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches), such as milk, soft drinks, raisins, cakes, or candy are frequently left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth thrive on these foods, producing acids as a result. Over a period of time, these acids destroy tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay. Plaque can also develop on the tooth roots under the gum and cause breakdown of the bone supporting the tooth.

How Can Plaque Formation Be Prevented?

• To prevent plaque buildup, brush your teeth at least twice a day with a soft, rounded-tip bristled toothbrush. Pay particular attention to the space where the gums and teeth meet. Use a fluoride-containing toothpaste.
• Floss between teeth at least once a day to remove food particles and bacteria.
• See your Dentist or oral hygienist every 6 months for a check-up and teeth cleaning.
• Ask your dentist if a Dental Sealant is appropriate for you. Dental sealants are a thin, plastic coating that are painted on the chewing surfaces of teeth to protect them from cavities and decay.
• Eat a balanced diet and limit the number of between-meal snacks. If you need a snack, choose nutritious foods such as plain yogurt, cheese, fruit, or raw vegetables. Vegetables, such as celery, help remove food and help saliva neutralize plaque-causing acids.

Root Planing and Scaling for Gum Disease

Root planing and scaling is one of the most effective ways to treat gum disease before it becomes severe. Root planing and scaling cleans between the gums and the teeth down to the roots. Your dentist may need to use a local anesthetic to numb your gums and the roots of your teeth.

Some dentists and Dental Hygienists will use an ultrasonic tool for the planing and scaling. This tool is not as uncomfortable as a standard scraping tool, but not all cleanings require this type of tool.

Your Dentist may place antibiotic fibers into the pockets between your teeth and gums. The antibiotic will help speed healing and prevent infection. The dentist will remove the fibers about 1 week after the procedure.

What To Expect After Treatment

If anesthesia is used, your lips and gums may remain numb for a few hours. Planing and scaling causes little or no discomfort.

Why It Is Done

Root planing and scaling is done when gums have either started to pull away from the teeth or the roots of the teeth have hard mineral deposits (tartar) on them.

How Well It Works

If you maintain Good Dental Care after the procedure, the progression of gum disease should stop. And your gums will heal and become firm and pink again.
Risks

Root planing and scaling can introduce harmful bacteria into the bloodstream. Gum tissue is also at risk of infection. You may need to take antibiotics before and after surgery if you have a condition that puts you at high risk for a severe infection or if infections are particularly dangerous for you. You may need to take antibiotics if you:

• Have certain heart problems that make it dangerous for you to get a heart infection called endocarditis.
• Have an impaired immune system.
• Had recent major surgeries or have man-made body parts, such as an artificial hip or heart valve.

What To Think About

Root planing and scaling is a simple procedure that can work very well to stop gum disease.
Brush and floss regularly afterward. Without Proper Dental Care, your gum disease may progress.
To promote healing, stop all use of tobacco. Smoking or using spit tobacco reduces your ability to fight infection of your gums and delays healing. To learn more, see the topic Quitting Smoking.

Dental Health: Sealants

Dental Sealant is a thin, plastic coating painted on the chewing surfaces of teeth -- usually the back teeth (the premolars and molars) -- to prevent tooth decay. The sealant quickly bonds into the depressions and grooves of the teeth, forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth.

Although thorough brushing and flossing can remove food particles and plaque from smooth surfaces of teeth, they cannot always get into all the nooks and crannies of the back teeth to remove the food and plaque. Sealants protect these vulnerable areas from tooth decay by "sealing out" plaque and food.

Who Should Get Sealants?

Because of the likelihood of developing decay in the depressions and grooves of the premolars and molars, children and teenagers are candidates for sealants. However, adults without decay or fillings in their molars can also benefit from sealants.


Typically, children should get sealants on their permanent molars and premolars as soon as these teeth come in. In this way, the sealants can protect the teeth through the cavity-prone years of ages 6 to 14.

In some cases, dental sealants may also be appropriate for baby teeth, such as when a child's baby teeth have deep depressions and grooves. Because baby teeth play such an important role in holding the correct spacing for permanent teeth, it's important to keep these teeth healthy so they are not lost too early.

How Are Sealants Applied?

Applying sealant is a simple and painless process. It takes only a few minutes for your Dentist or hygienist to apply the sealant to seal each tooth. The application steps are as follows:

1. First the teeth that are to be sealed are thoroughly cleaned.
2. Each tooth is then dried, and cotton or another absorbent material is put around the tooth to keep it dry.
3. An acid solution is put on the chewing surfaces of the teeth to roughen them up, which helps the sealant bond to the teeth.
4. The teeth are then rinsed and dried.
5. Sealant is then painted onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. Sometimes a special curing light is used to help the sealant harden.

How Long Do Sealants Last?

Sealants can protect teeth from decay for up to 10 years, but they need to be checked for chipping or wearing at regular Dental Check-ups. Your dentist can replace sealants as necessary.
Does Insurance Cover the Cost of Sealants?

Many insurance companies cover the cost of sealants. Check with your dental insurance carrier to determine if sealants are covered under your plan.

What Can You Do About Sensitive Teeth?

Tooth Sensitivity can affect one or more teeth. It’s most common when you eat or drink something hot, cold, sweet, or sour. Sometimes a breath of cold air can set it off. The pain can be sharp and sudden and can shoot deep into the nerve endings of your teeth.

See the Anatomy of a Tooth and How Enamel Is Damaged

What Causes Sensitive Teeth?

You get sensitive teeth when your gums pull back and expose the surface beneath, called the dentin. This soft layer makes up the inner part and roots, which have thousands of tiny tubes that lead to thetooth's nerve center (the pulp). These channels allow the trigger -- for example, the hot, cold, or sweet food -- to reach the nerve in your tooth, which results in the pain you feel.

Other things that can cause sensitive teeth are:

• Wear and tear. Over time, brushing too hard or using a hard-bristledtoothbrush or grinding your teeth can wear down enamel and expose the dentin.
• Tooth decay near the gum line.
• Gum disease (gingivitis). Inflamed and sore gums pull back and expose the roots of your teeth.
• Damage. Chipped or broken teeth may fill with bacteria. The bacteria can enter the pulp, causing inflammation.
• Teeth grinding. Grinding or clenching your teeth may wear down the enamel and expose the dentin.
• Tooth-whitening products. These products may be major contributors to sensitive teeth.
• Age. Teeth are most sensitive between ages 25 and 30.
• Plaque buildup. The presence of plaque on the root surfaces can cause sensitivity.
• Long-term mouthwash use. Some over-the-counter products contain acids that can make sensitivity worse if your dentin is already exposed. Ask your Dentist about a neutral fluoride solution.
• Acidic foods. Food and drinks with a high acid content, like citrus fruits, tomatoes, pickles, and tea, can wear down enamel.
• Dental Work. Teeth cleaning, root planing, crown placement, andtooth restoration can make teeth sensitive. This should go away in 4 to 6 weeks.

Steps to Reduce Tooth Sensitivity

• The good news is there are many ways to control sensitive teeth. You can:
• Brush and floss regularly. Use proper brushing and flossing techniques to thoroughly clean all parts of your teeth and mouth.
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush. Brush gently and carefully around the gum line so you don’t remove gum tissue.
• Use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Several brands are available. Regular use should make teeth less sensitive. You may need to try several brands to find the product that works best for you. Another tip: Spread a thin layer on the exposed tooth roots with your finger or a Q-tip before you go to bed. Use a fluoridated toothpaste, not atartar control one.
• Watch what you eat. Avoid lots of highly acidic foods and drinks.
• Use fluoridated dental products. Using a fluoridated mouth rinse daily can decrease sensitivity. Ask your dentist about products available for home use.
• Don’t grind your teeth. Use a mouth guard at night.
• See your dentist every 6 months (or sooner, depending on your condition).

If you still have discomfort, talk to your Dentist. There may be a procedure that can help. He might recommend:

• White fillings(bonding) to cover exposed root surfaces
• Fluoride varnishes applied to the exposed root surface
• Dentin sealers applied to the exposed root surface

Preventing Tooth Decay

Tooth Decay is the destruction of tooth structure and can affect both the enamel (the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin layer of the tooth.

Tooth decay occurs when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches), such as breads, cereals, milk, soda, fruits, cakes, or candy are left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth digest these foods, turning them into acids. The bacteria, acid, food debris, and saliva combine to form plaque, which clings to the teeth. The acids in plaque dissolve the enamel surface of the teeth, creating holes in the teeth called cavities.

To prevent tooth decay:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste. Preferably, brush after each meal and especially before going to bed.
• Clean between your teeth daily with dental floss or interdental cleaners, such as the Oral-B Interdental Brush, Reach Stim-U-Dent, or Sulcabrush.
• Eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacks. Avoid carbohydrates such as candy, pretzels and chips, which can remain on the tooth surface. If sticky foods are eaten, brush your teeth soon afterwards.
• Check with your dentist about use of supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth.
• Ask your dentist about dental sealants (a plastic protective coating) applied to the chewing surfaces of your back teeth (molars) to protect them from decay.
• Drink fluoridated water. At least a pint of fluoridated water each day is needed to protect children from tooth decay.
• Visit your Dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral exam.

A mouth rinse containing fluoride can help prevent tooth decay, according to the American Dental Association.

Researchers are developing new means to prevent tooth decay. One study found that a chewing gum that contains the sweetener xylitol temporarily retarded the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay. In addition, several materials that slowly release fluoride over time, which will help prevent further decay, are being explored. These materials would be placed between teeth or in pits and fissures of teeth. Toothpastes and mouth rinses that can reverse and "heal" early cavities are also being studied.