Causes of plaque

Plaque is dental plaque that has been colonized by bacteria. Fortunately, the plaque deposits can still be removed by brushing your teeth. Poor oral hygiene favors the formation of plaque, but it also reappears immediately after brushing and cannot be under-formed.

However, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day to prevent the transformation of the removable plaque into tartar that cannot be removed on its own. In the oral cavity, there is a variety of different bacteria and microorganisms. These settle on surfaces and attach themselves there.

The easiest place for them to adhere is on rough surfaces, such as the gumline, where brushing is often poor, or in between small indentations or fissures. You can influence the colonization of plaque a little by considering the following risk factors: A sugar-rich diet provides the bacteria with the best nutrients and thus promotes their growth and consequently the growth of plaque. If your mouth is dry and your saliva is too low, food remains will not be washed away so that the bacteria can feed on the food remains.

Some medications additionally promote dry mouth. Other drugs, such as some sleeping pills or blood pressure regulators, promote the growth of bacteria. Stress, lack of sleep and above all smoking and alcohol abuse additionally disturb the bacterial flora in the mouth.

Risks of plaque

The (unchanged) microorganisms present in plaque can have a damaging effect on the tooth substance and gums. If sugar consumption is frequent and/or high, the growth of these microorganisms is increasingly promoted, since under these circumstances an excess supply of nutrients for bacterial pathogens prevails within the oral cavity. The colonization of the tooth surface leads to the formation of acids, which are a metabolic product of the bacteria.

They can dissolve the tooth substance and thus cause the smallest lesions. As a result, artificial dirt niches are created in which germs can settle particularly well. If the plaque is not removed regularly and properly, the development of carious defects can no longer be avoided.

In addition, over time the plaque deposits can extend to below the gumline and lead to the formation of deep gum pockets.Bacteria and other microorganisms find an ideal habitat in these pockets, can multiply and cause lasting damage to the gums by secreting their metabolic waste products. This often results in inflammation of the gums. If suitable treatment is not carried out, these inflammatory processes can also spread to other structures of the periodontium (e.g. the jawbone) and cause periodontitis (inflammation of the tooth bed). In many cases, this leads to receding gums and/or irreversible bone resorption. In the worst case, the affected patient loses teeth that are actually perfectly healthy.