Plaque on Teeth: What Happens If It’s Left Untreated

You can’t talk about oral hygiene without mentioning plaque on teeth. It’s always made out to be the nasty little sucker that causes the downfall of dental health. Well, that’s because it does exactly that.

According to the book Prevention in Clinical Oral Health Care, dental plaque is a “complex biofilm” attached to teeth. Plaque is essentially the buildup of microorganisms on your teeth. When a clean tooth surface interacts with saliva, it forms something called an acquired pellicle. This, in turn, allows the adhesion of naturally occurring bacteria. This bacteria feeds on sugar from sweets and starch. They can aggregate and worsen if not taken care of right away. The book describes plaque on teeth as the basis for many periodontal diseases.

Plaque is easy enough to recognize. You can tell right away that you have plaque on your teeth when the surface feels rough against your tongue. When it has turned yellowish or brownish, it could have developed into tartar. Plaque and tartar are precursors to cavities or tooth decay as well as various gum diseases.

Bacteria in plaque also produce acid that can melt away your tooth enamel, which protects your teeth. Inflammation and gum problems can also cause an infection that could loosen your teeth from their sockets. In short, plaque is the gateway to a less-than-stellar dental disposition.

When it comes to dental hygiene, don’t limit yourself to just eliminating plaque. Opt for total oral care. Your first line of defense against pesky tooth problems is by using a powerful toothpaste, such as closeup, which can address your oral health concerns. Here are some reasons you can trust closeup to protect your teeth.

closeup is a toothpaste for cavity protection. It has fluoride, which is an ingredient typically reserved for specialty dental products. According to a 2015 study in Materia Sociomedica (Journal of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina), this naturally occurring compound not only strengthens teeth but also helps prevent cavities. Experts also believe it can halt the progression of ongoing tooth decay. The six-month-long research learned that adding fluoride into dental care resulted in “statistically significant” improvement.

The best gel toothpaste options always contain silica, which helps clean the mouth from top to bottom. Based on research published in the Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, silica does not form insoluble salts when it reacts to fluoride, making them an ideal pair as far as making toothpaste goes.

In closeup, Silica works as an abrasive that can help get rid of plaque on teeth as well as stubborn food particles stuck in the recesses of your mouth. According to the Journal of the Pakistan Dental Association, abrasives also act as whitening agents. You can get that megawatt smile and be confident that your oral health is in tip-top shape.

Apart from fluoride and silica, closeup All Around Fresh Soothing Menthol Toothpaste and closeup All Around Fresh Cool Mint Toothpaste also have antibacterial protection thanks to the zinc mouthwash in their formulation. This additional ingredient makes them effective against bacteria-ridden plaque.

And, because plaque leads to tartar and other serious oral issues, they also double as gum repair toothpaste. Find the best gel toothpaste for your needs by testing different variants.

A 2020 study in the Nutrients journal says that zinc is a necessary trace element for maintaining oral health. In fact, research has proven that supplementing dental hygiene with zinc by using a toothpaste for cavity protection can fight against numerous oral diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and halitosis.

Speaking of bad breath, closeup toothpaste helps eliminate some of the most common causes of halitosis, such as food particles that are squatting in your mouth and poor dental hygiene. However, it does your confidence better by arming its toothpaste with ingredients that can freshen your breath. For example, closeup Cool Mint has a peppermint flavor while Soothing Menthol has spearmint. Either one gives your mouth a clean, fresh feel.

Dental issues are hardly ever an isolated incident. Tartar leads to tooth decay and gum disease; cavities cause halitosis. But whether it's plaque on teeth or mortifying bad breath, a toothpaste for cavity protection like closeup ticks all the boxes when it comes to complete oral care.