The main purpose of taking care of your teeth every day is to avoid plaque buildup. Plaque buildup occurs when sugars and bacteria thrive in teeth, usually between hard-to-reach crevices and the tight spaces between your teeth. This leads to holes and burrows in teeth, also known as cavities. Cavities only worsen over time if left untreated, and lead to more invasive dental procedures such as root canals, extractions, and dental implants.

Of course, it is ideal to prevent plaque from building up in your teeth by implementing a strict dental care regimen; however, due to a number of factors plaque can build anyway. It’s important to address plaque buildup before it causes other more severe issues to occur. In this article, we’ll discuss how you can address plaque buildup.

How Does Plaque Develop?

As we mentioned before, plaque develops under certain conditions. Though your tooth enamel is meant to help guard your teeth from the effects of plaque, it does not keep plaque from developing. Plaque builds when sugars from foods turn into bacteria and infiltrate the tight spaces between or within your teeth. The longer plaque remains in your teeth, the more problematic it becomes. Despite our best efforts, plaque can still develop; this means that you’ll need to consult with your dentist regularly to ensure you’re staying on top of plaque prevention and control.

What You Can Do to Prevent or Remove Plaque Between Teeth

Plaque between teeth can become unsightly and damaging to your dental health. Plaque hardens and becomes difficult to remove, so it’s ideal to try to prevent plaque buildup. Here is a list of helpful tips you can utilize to prevent or remove plaque between teeth:

Regular Brushing

Brushing your teeth to prevent plaque buildup is straightforward but can be quite difficult for many people to implement. Brushing your teeth twice a day is essential to your dental health and greatly reduces the likelihood of plaque causing lasting damage to your teeth.

Floss Your Teeth

Flossing is one of the most neglected practices for the majority of individuals. It only takes a minute or two to properly floss your teeth, but the advantages are vast. Flossing can help preserve your gum health and keep plaque from infiltrating the crevices between teeth that lead to unsightly and difficult to remove hardened bacteria.

Use Dentist-Approved Mouthwashes

There are many different commercial mouthwashes one can use to help clean the hard-to-reach spaces in your mouth. Dentists generally prefer a fluoride mouthwash to help preserve your tooth enamel, which can protect teeth from cavities. Mouthwash is a great product to use to follow-up brushing and flossing.

Schedule Routine Dental Check-Ups

Dental check-ups are a great way to ensure that your hygiene practices are paying off and to avoid long-lasting damage. It’s essential to check in with your dentist throughout the year to prevent cavities, root canals, and other expensive, corrective procedures after plaque buildup has taken its toll.

Schedule Routine Teeth Cleanings

Professional teeth cleanings are an excellent way to get rid of plaque between teeth that has become compacted and impossible to dissolve with routine dental hygiene practices. Using special materials and tools, dental practitioners can help ensure that plaque isn’t lingering anywhere in your mouth. Dental cleanings usually should occur at least twice a year, or once every six months in individuals who care for their teeth regularly and efficiently; however, due to other extenuating factors, it may be recommended to have dental cleanings more frequently. It is best to consult with your dentist if you aren’t sure how often you should schedule check-ups and cleanings.

How We Can Help You

The Dental Group of Simi Valley has been practicing since the early 60s, perfecting our cleaning methods and practices with each new development in the field. Preventing plaque buildup is one of the most foundational concepts in dental care, and we make sure to inform our patients of how to best achieve a healthy, beautiful smile. If you’d like more information on how to prevent or remove plaque, or would like to schedule an appointment at our office, please feel free to contact us directly.