Dental plaque

Dental plaque is a biofilm of microorganisms (mostly bacteria, but also fungi) that grows on surfaces within the mouth. It is a sticky colorless deposit at first, but when it forms tartar, it is often brown or pale yellow. It is commonly found between the teeth, on the front of teeth, behind teeth, on chewing surfaces, along the gumline, or below the gum line cervical margins (subgingival).^[1] Dental plaque is also known as microbial plaque, oral biofilm, dental biofilm, dental plaque biofilm, and bacterial plaque biofilm. Bacterial plaque is one of the major causes for dental decay and gum disease.^[1] It has been observed that differences in the make-up of dental plaque germs exist between men and women, particularly in the presence of periodontitis.^[2]

Progression and build-up of dental plaque can give rise to tooth decay, and periodontal problems. Hence it is important to disrupt the mass of bacteria and remove it.^[3] Tooth decay is the localized destruction of the tissues of the tooth by acid produced from the bacterial degradation of fermentable sugar. Common periodontal problems include gingivitis (gum disease) and periodontitis.^[4] Plaque control and removal can be achieved with correct daily or twice-daily tooth brushing and use of interdental aids such as dental floss and interdental brushes.^[1]

Oral hygiene is important as dental biofilms may become acidic causing demineralization of the teeth (also known as dental caries) or harden into dental calculus (also known as tartar).^[5] Calculus cannot be removed through tooth brushing or with interdental aids, (brushes that get between teeth) but only through professional cleaning.^[4]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Darby ML, Walsh MM (2010). Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice.
2. ↑ Pinto, Rita Del; Ferri, Claudio; Giannoni, Mario; Cominelli, Fabio; Pizarro, Theresa T.; Pietropaoli, Davide (2024-09-10). "Meta-analysis of oral microbiome reveals sex-based diversity in biofilms during periodontitis". JCI Insight. 9 (17) e171311. doi:10.1172/jci.insight.171311. ISSN 0021-9738. PMC 11385077. PMID 39253976.
3. ↑ Verkaik MJ, Busscher HJ, Jager D, Slomp AM, Abbas F, van der Mei HC (March 2011). "Efficacy of natural antimicrobials in toothpaste formulations against oral biofilms in vitro" (PDF). Journal of Dentistry. 39 (3): 218–24. doi:10.1016/j.jdent.2010.12.007. hdl:11370/da862a1c-8bdc-4d47-b6c4-3b43e87309c6. PMID 21195122. S2CID 205944385.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Wolf H, Hassell T (2006). Color Atlas of Dental Hygiene. New York: Thieme.
5. ↑ Summitt JB, Robbins JW, Hilton TJ, Schwartz RS (2006). Fundamentals of Operative Dentistry: A Contemporary Approach. Quintessence Pub. ISBN 978-0-86715-452-8.