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Encyclopedia > Dental plaque
Improper removal of plaque caused a build up of calculus (dark yellow colour) near the gums on almost all the teeth.
Improper removal of plaque caused a build up of calculus (dark yellow colour) near the gums on almost all the teeth.

Dental plaque is a biofilm (usually of a clear color) that builds up on the teeth. If not removed regularly, it can lead to dental cavities (caries) or periodontal problems (such as gingivitis). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1211x867, 558 KB) Summary Photo taken of patient, who will remain anonymous, treated at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center: College of Dentistry in Memphis, Tennessee. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1211x867, 558 KB) Summary Photo taken of patient, who will remain anonymous, treated at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center: College of Dentistry in Memphis, Tennessee. ... Staphylococcus aureus biofilm on an indwelling catheter. ... Types of teeth Molars are used for grinding up foods Carnassials are used for slicing food. ... Tooth decay, or dental caries, is a disease of the teeth resulting in damage to tooth structure. ... Caries is a progressive destruction of any kind of bone structure, including the skull, the ribs and other bones. ... Periodontics is the study of clinical aspects of the supporting structures of the teeth, including the gingiva, alveolar (jaw) bone, root cementum, and the periodontal ligament in health and disease. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...


The microorganisms that form the biofilm are almost entirely bacteria (mainly streptococcus mutans and anaerobes), with the composition varying by location in the mouth. Examples of such anaerobes include fusobacterium and Actinobacteria. A cluster of Escherichia coli bacteria magnified 10,000 times. ... Phyla Actinobacteria Aquificae Chlamydiae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Lentisphaerae Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Verrucomicrobia Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are unicellular microorganisms. ... Binomial name Streptococcus mutans Clarke 1924 Streptococcus mutans is a Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic bacteria commonly found in the human oral cavity and is a significant contributor to tooth decay. ... Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria can be identified by growning them in liquid culture: 1: Obligate aerobic bacteria gather at the top of the test tube in order to absorb maximal amount of oxygen. ... Fusobacteria contribute to several diseases, including periodontal diseases, Lemierres syndrome, and tropical skin ulcers. ... Subclasses Acidimicrobidae Actinobacteridae Coriobacteridae Rubrobacteridae Sphaerobacteridae The Actinobacteria or Actinomycetes are a group of Gram-positive bacteria. ...


The microorganisms present in dental plaque are all naturally present in the oral cavity, and are normally harmless. However, failure to remove plaque by regular toothbrushing means that they are allowed to build up in a thick layer. Those microorganisms nearest the tooth surface convert to anaerobic respiration; it is in this state that they start to produce acids which consequently lead to demineralization of the adjacent tooth surface, and dental caries. Saliva is also unable to penetrate the build up of plaque and thus cannot act to neutralize the acid produced by the bacteria and remineralize the tooth surface. The word cavity in English means a hollow or a hole. ... Three toothbrushes The toothbrush is an instrument used to clean teeth, consisting of a small brush on a handle. ... Anaerobic respiration refers to the oxidation of molecules in the absence of oxygen to produce energy, in opposition to Aerobic respiration which does use oxygen. ... Saliva is the watery and usually frothy substance produced in the mouths of humans and some animals. ...


Plaque build up can also become mineralized and form calculus (tartar). Calculus (dark yellow colour) can be seen on almost all teeth near the gums In dentistry, calculus or tartar refers to hardened plaque on the teeth, formed by the presence of saliva, debris, and minerals. ...


Prevention and treatment

Frequency of brushing and flossing with good technique is important, because the nature (i.e. composition) of the microorganisms change as the plaque ages. Therefore, plaque which is 12 hours old for example is much less damaging than plaque which has not been removed in days. Dental floss is a thin, nylon string that is used to remove food and plaque from the teeth. ...


Oral hygiene practices have evolved largely during the time they have been most needed, i.e. the 20th and 21st centuries. The sudden increase in tooth decay is almost certainly attributable to changes in diet, such as the introduction of refined sugar and, later, candy. Presumably, teeth used for the processing of a natural diet (raw meat, fresh vegetables) would last a full lifetime.[citation needed]Mouthwash (also mouth rinse) is used for oral hygiene. Antiseptic and anti-plaque mouth rinse claims to kill the bacteria that cause plaque, gingivitis, and halitosis. Anti-cavity mouthwash contains fluoride, protecting against tooth decay. Types of teeth Molars are used for grinding up foods Carnassials are used for slicing food. ... For other uses, see Candy (disambiguation). ... For the Kate Nash song see Mouthwash (song) For the ska-punk band, see Mouthwash (band) Mouthwash or mouth rinse is a product used for oral hygiene. ... Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth clean in order to prevent cavities (dental caries), gingivitis, periodontitis, bad breath (halitosis), and other dental disorders. ... An antiseptic solution of Povidone-iodine applied to an abrasion Antiseptics (Greek αντί, against, and σηπτικός, putrefactive) are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Halitosis, oral malodor (scientific term), breath odor, foul breath, fetor oris, fetor ex ore, or most commonly bad breath are terms used to describe noticeably unpleasant odors exhaled in breathing – whether the smell is from an oral source or not. ... Fluoride is the ionic form of fluorine. ... Types of teeth Molars are used for grinding up foods Carnassials are used for slicing food. ...


See also

Dental floss is a thin, nylon string that is used to remove food and plaque from the teeth. ... The gingiva (sing. ... A dental disease is a disease which affects the teeth or gums. ... Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth clean in order to prevent cavities (dental caries), gingivitis, periodontitis, bad breath (halitosis), and other dental disorders. ... Oral microbiology is the study of the microorganisms of the oral cavity and the interactions between the oral microorganisms with each other and with the host. ...

External links

  • Introduction to dental plaque
v • d • e
Periodontology and Implant Dentistry
Tissues of the periodontium
and their physiologic entities		 Alveolar bone - Biologic width - Cementum - Free gingival margin - Gingiva - Gingival fibers - Junctional epithelium - Mucogingival junction - Periodontal ligament - Sulcular epithelium - Stippling
Pathogenesis A. actinomycetemcomitans - B. forsythus - Capnocytophaga sp. - F. nucleatum - P. gingivalis - P. intermedia - T. denticola
Pathologic entities Calculus - Edentulism - Fremitus - Gingival enlargement - Gingival pocket - Gingivitis - Horizontal bony defect - Occlusal trauma - Periodontal pocket - Periodontal disease - Plaque - Recession - Vertical bony defect
Diagnosis, treatment planning,
prevention and
chemotherapeutic agents		 Brushing - Bleeding on probing - Chlorhexidine gluconate - Flossing - Hydrogen peroxide - Mouthwash - Oral hygiene - Tetracycline - Triclosan
Periodontal armamentarium Currette - Membrane - Probe - Scaler
Conventional therapy Debridement - Scaling and root planing
Surgical therapy and
periodontal surgery		 Apically positioned flap - Bone graft - Coronally positioned flap - Crown lengthening - Flap debridement - Free gingival graft - Gingivectomy - Guided bone regeneration - Guided tissue regeneration - Implant Placement - Lateral pedicle graft - Pocket reduction surgery - Sinus lift - Subepithelial connective tissue graft
Other specialties Endodontology - Orthodontology - Prosthodontology

  Results from FactBites:
 
INTRODUCTION TO DENTAL PLAQUE (1628 words)
Dental plaque is a general term for the diverse microbial community (predominantly bacteria) found on the tooth surface, embedded in a matrix of polymers of bacterial and salivary origin.
Plaque is an example of a biofilm; current research is showing that the properties of bacteria associated with a surface in a biofilm can be markedly different than those of the same cells growing in liquid broth (planktonic cells).
Dental caries is the localised destruction of the tissues of the tooth by acid produced from the bacterial degradation of fermentable sugars.
Bite Sized Tutorials, plaque formation (2198 words)
Dental plaque is a mixed microbial biofilm growing on teeth and is the prime aetiological agent of the two main oral diseases, dental caries and periodontal disease.
The major sites of plaque accumulation are in the fissures of molar teeth, in the area bounded by the margin of the gum and the tooth and between adjacent teeth.
Plaque is initiated by the colonisation and subsequent outgrowth of organisms competent to adhere to the tooth pellicle.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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