Dental plaque is a sticky residue of bacteria, acid and food particles that can irritate your gums and eat away at tooth enamel. It is the bacteria in the plaque that causes dental diseases, that is tooth decay and gum disease.
Plaque grows in protected areas on the teeth. It grows on the tooth next to the gums, in between the teeth, and in the grooves of the back teeth.If it is not cleaned off the teeth, it will eventually grow and completely cover the teeth.
If plaque is not cleaned off the teeth, it can also become hard like cement. Hardened plaque is called calculus or tarter. It is usually yellow or brown in colour. The calculus makes the surface of the teeth rough and easier for plaque to grow on.

The bacteria in dental plaque rely on the sugars in our diet for energy and to grow. When bacteria metabolise these dietary sugars, they produce plaque acids. These acids etch and erode the enamel on our teeth, producing tooth decay.
We can measure the amount of acid in our mouth by testing the pH of our saliva. Normal saliva has a pH level between When plaque acid is present, the pH level drops. When it drops below 5.5, the plaque acids can decay enamel.
The more frequently we eat foods or drink liquids that contain sugar, the more often our teeth are exposed to an acid attack.If the sugary foods are also soft and sticky, it increases the risk of tooth decay, because these foods stick to the teeth.

Examples of foods that cause tooth decay include lollies, chocolate, cakes, sweet biscuits, deserts, dried fruit muesli bars, several breakfast cereals and even cough syrups.
The best way to prevent tooth decay is to reduce both the amount and the frequency of sugary foods and drinks in the diet and drink plenty of water.

When dental plaque is not removed from the teeth, the bacteria in the plaque irritates the gums, causing inflammation. This is known as gingivitis.

Gingivitis is the most common form of gum disease. Over 90% of people have gingivitis somewhere in their mouth.
The symptoms of gingivitis include red, swollen gums that often bleed when tooth-brushing.

Thorough cleaning of the teeth to remove dental plaque will help prevent gingivitis.In some people, the inflammation caused by the plaque bacteria causes infection and destruction of the tissues and bone that surround and support the teeth. This condition is called periodontitis.

Only around 10% of people suffer from this advanced form of gum disease, yet periodontitis is the major cause of adult tooth loss. Family history, diabetes and smoking are the main contributing factors for periodontitis.
In the early stages, periodontitis appears the same as gingivitis. However, as the disease progresses, the gums may recede (shrink) and the teeth can become loose and even fall out. The gums often bleed and pus may even ooze from around the teeth. This infection causes very bad breath.

Thorough tooth cleaning and removal of dental plaque helps prevent and manage periodontitis by removing the bacteria that cause the infection.