Imagine if your mouth was a cooker. You’d probably give it a good wipe over if you see a spill, or after cooking. But would you go for over a year or maybe even two without giving it a deep clean? Imagine the bugs that can build up when you don’t. Once you start poking about in the nooks and crannies, there’s a lot of nasty crusty bits and slimy things that can harbour germs and cause disease. That’s why you give it a really good going over every few months. That’s what you should also be doing for your teeth.

If you are a diligent person, you probably already brush your teeth twice a day with a good fluoride toothpaste for around two minutes each time, and finish up with flossing between each of your teeth to remove any extra stuck bits of food and plaque. And this is really great. But it doesn’t get rid of everything. Plaque will continue to build up in nooks and crannies where the teeth touch, and along the gum line, no matter how carefully you brush.

The consequences of plaque

Plaque starts off as sticky film. That film is bacteria, growing on the surfaces of the teeth, gums and any artificial things like crowns and dental implants. The bacteria are not harmful in themselves. But, if you don’t remove the plaque with brushing, it gets thicker and the bacteria nearest the tooth, at the bottom of the thickening film, get their energy by feeding off sugars in the mouth, and then they release acid. The acid eats into your tooth enamel and can start to decay the insides of your teeth.

Plaque on the gums can cause inflammation and, if left untreated, can then attack the bone under the gum.

This will happen however often you brush your teeth. Just like a deep clean in your oven or fridge, you need to get your mouth deep cleaned about twice a year.

When you come to us at Amsel & Wilkins in Banbury, hygienists clean and polish your teeth using special equipment and pastes that ensure that every bit of plaque is removed. It may take more than one appointment if you have a particularly bad build-up of plaque.