Toothspot - All About Teeth

Plaque   Plaque is a sticky, colorless film of bacteria, salivary proteins, and food debris that forms on teeth every day. It is the main cause of cavities and gum disease. While it's still in a soft state, you can clean it off with a toothbrush and floss. However, once the plaque has calcified into calculus (commonly known as tartar), only your dentist or dental hygienist will be able to remove it. Plaque forms rapidly after cleaning regardless of your diet, however increased sugar has been shown to speed up the process. Plaque is actually composed of several species of bacteria. Different types of bacteria are associated with different dental conditions (decay, gingivitis, periodontitis, etc.) The types of bacteria most commonly found in plaque are Streptococcus mutans and  Streptococcus sanguis. It's been shown that there are over 160 different types of bacteria in gingivitis (Actinomyces, Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, etc.) Similar bacteria have been identified in peri