Maintaining control over plaque and tartar forms the base for good tooth structure, which is very important for general health. Tartar is a hardened form of plaque and can only be removed by professional cleaning. On the other hand, plaque usually generates some sticky bacteria that attach to teeth.
Some of the major dental issues that could result from plaque and tartar include partial gum diseases, tooth cavities, and bad breath if people stop following a good oral hygiene regime. However, using home remedies can remove tartar to some extent and support the oral health of your teeth.
How to Get Rid of Plaque in Teeth
Plaque is a soft sticky bacteria that mostly attached to the teeth if not regularly cleaned by brushing. These remaining food particles in the mouth and saliva are capable of causing cavity, gum diseses, and bad breath.
However, a good oral hygiene practice can control and prevent plaque buildup. Some of these natural remedies can assist in removing plaque and help teeth get even healthier which are as follows-
1. Baking Soda Paste
Baking soda paste helps remove plaque from your teeth. Mix it with water to make a thick paste. It also reduces the growth of bacteria and acid in the teeth. To clean your teeth with baking soda, dip your toothbrush into the mixture and brush your teeth in a circular motion.
The paste's texture removes sticking particles and finds a solution to get rid of plaque in teeth. So, regular use of baking soda can prevent the growth of plaque and keep the teeth clean.
2. Coconut Oil Pulling
How to get rid of teeth plaque? Coconut oil pulling is an ancient method for reducing plaque and managing oral hygiene. It will clean your teeth because it breaks down plaque and washes off a good amount of bacteria in your mouth.
Take one tablespoon of coconut oil and smear it over the teeth and gums, covering each area well. Let that sit for about fifteen to twenty minutes and then spit out the oil, then use a watery mouthwash. This can enhance dental health and keep plaque under control.
3. Vinegar Rinse
Vinegar has antibacterial features that help reduce plaque formation. To use it, mix vinegar in water and gargle in your mouth for about 30 seconds. When you do so, the vinegar breaks down plaque and tartar.
Remember to swirl your mouth with plain water because it is acidic. This method will help maintain the cleanliness and freshness of the tongue and teeth if you practice daily.
4. Lemon Juice and Baking Soda
How do you remove plaque from your teeth? The baking soda and lemon juice combination proved to be pretty useful against plaque. Mix lemon juice with baking soda into a paste and spread over the teeth. Focus on those places where plaque is most common and start gently brushing in a circular motion.
It works with the acidic attributes of lemon juice to break up and dissolve plaque. Apply this treatment with caution as the quantity of acid that lemons contain can also weaken teeth's enamel over time.
5. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera gel is an antibacterial and soothing medicine that controls plaque growth. It works by fighting bacteria and soothing the gums to keep teeth in good shape.
For better results, apply a small amount to the teeth and then brush your teeth as usual. You can also mix it with water and gargle it as a mouthwash. After regular use, you will find the solution on how to get rid of plaque on teeth.
6. Regular Brushing and Cleaning
Brushing at least twice a day with toothpaste kills bacteria and removes food particles. Clean the front and back of the teeth with a circular motion and get rid of plaque on teeth.
It removes food and plaque that get stuck up between the teeth and on the gum line. This will prevent tartar formation and ultimately prevent gum disease. You could further improve oral health by reducing plaque and killing bacteria with some antibacterial mouthwash as part of your regular practice.
7. Neem and Turmeric Paste
It has antibacterial features that work in reducing plaque. Mix a little water with some neem powder and add it to some turmeric paste. Gently brush the paste on the teeth and then wash the mouth thoroughly with water.
The paste works on developing healthier gums and cleaning the teeth by fighting bacteria and reducing plaque buildup. If taken regularly, this can turn out to be an excellent herbal remedy for teeth and works on how to get rid of plaque build up.
8. Green Tea
How to get rid of plaque from teeth? Green tea is definitely among the most potent home remedies for reducing plaque on teeth because it contains antioxidants. A daily intake of green tea will help you minimize the dangerous growth of bacteria in the mouth, which most of the time leads to the formation of plaque. You can also use green tea as a mouthwash by just boiling one cup and then letting it cool.
Rinse for 30 seconds in the mouth and spit out. This cleans up the food particles and prevents plaque formation which helps to maintain better oral health.
Plaque vs Tartar
While plaque and tartar are two very common dental conditions that can be quite harmful to oral health but they differ in the mode of development and problems they can cause:
Plaque refers to the thin and white molecules on the teeth that are produced from saliva, food particles, and germs in the mouth. It feels like a fuzzy coating on the tooth surfaces and developes right away after eating. If not brushed regularly, the plaque can keep on building up and cause cavities and tooth decay.
It is quite easy to remove if you can detect it early. The prevention of plaque is done through regular rinsing, brushing, and flossing. Regular hygiene in dental care is quite important in keeping the plaque from hardening into tartar which is much harder to remove.
Tartar is also called "Calculus", which is formed by hardening plaque. It is an accumulation above and below the gum line that results from mineralized plaque. Unlike plaque, calculus is hard and cannot be cleaned off easily with brushing or flossing at home. It requires professional dental check up and cleaning.
Its buildup can open pathways to some very advanced dental problems like periodontal disease, which will damage to your gums and bone. This can cause tooth loss or some serious health issues. Maintain oral hygiene to stop the formation of plaque which leads to developing tatar on your teeth.
How to Get Rid of Tartar
Tartar can be removed with home remedies which is a natural way to maintain oral health without investing in expensive treatments. Here are some effective ways to remove tartar from your teeth:
• Practicing Good Oral Hygiene
Proper dental care will help you stop and remove tartar buildup. At least brush your teeth twice a day with herbal toothpaste to help remove dental plaque before it hardens into tartar.
That way, the buildup of plaque and accumulation of tartar are reduced.
• Orange Peels
The rough texture of orange peels acts as a mild abrasive that directly helps to remove the surface tartar and plaque. Other than this, some essential oils in orange peel have antibacterial properties, which reduce the level of microorganisms that contribute to tartar formation. The high content of vitamin C in the orange peel acts as a healer to inflammation in the gums.
Thus, tartar formation inside the gum will be lessened.
• Vitamin C Foods
How to get rid of tartar? Vitamin C-rich foods wash out tartar because it makes the gums healthy and lowers the plaques in the teeth. It also minimizes the bacteria which helps to form tartar. This essential vitamins can be obtain from bell peppers, citrus fruits, and strawberries that helps in maintaining elasticity and heals gum tissues.
You should frequently take these foods because they massively contribute to general dental health by helping avoid the formation of tartar.
• Chewing Sesame Seeds
The rough texture of sesame seeds works in a scrubbing action with the plaque resting on the surface of the tooth and does not let the tartar form. Chewing sesame seeds displaces and removes plaque from teeth and gums which works like a mild scrubber. They are rich in minerals and nutrients that promote good oral health in general.
The seeds mix with saliva and clean all surfaces of teeth. Remember to spit out the seeds and wash your mouth with water after chewing them.
What is Tooth Plaque Made of?
Tooth plaque is a soft cluster of bacteria that gets attached to the teeth after eating the food. It is made up of the following things:
Bacteria: They are involved in the cause of plaque which multiplies in the cavity and feeds on sugar and carbohydrates. These bacteria can produce acids that are potentially capable of damaging tooth enamel, promoting gum diseases and cavities.
Saliva: Some proteins and enzymes in the saliva are among the components that make plaque bind to the teeth. It is saliva that makes up a sticky and produces plaque in the teeth.
Food Particles: Plaques trap small food and drink particles, which maximize the bacteria's growth rate. This condition could speed up plaque growth and make it very hard to remove.
Dead cells: It results from the stabilization of some dead and mucosal lining cells which are incorporated with the food constituents and bacteria over time.
What does plaque look like on your teeth?
Although plaque might be a little hard to notice on the teeth, it typically appears as soft and sticky and is either colorless or slightly off-white in color. If it has been allowed to build up over some time and mix with food particles, then it may appear slightly yellow or grayish in color.
It has a fuzzy or gritty feel to it that tends to collect along the gum line and around dental appliances like braces or fillings. Sometimes, plaque cannot be seen by the naked eye. You can feel this with the help of your tongue and sticky texture.
Symptoms and Causes
It is crucial to understand the symptoms of plaque and tartar if you want to keep your teeth healthy. Some of these include:
• Teeth that have a plaque on them feel fuzzy and sticky. You can feel this with your hand or run your tongue at the teeth.
• Plaque buildup often causes bad breath or halitosis. Unpleasant mouth smells are caused by sulfur compounds produced by plaque bacteria.
• Red, swollen, and bleeding gums are among the symptoms that identify bacterial irritation and gum diseases caused by plaque buildup.
• The teeth may also appear yellowish and soiled color where plaque accumulates. More discolorations of teeth could be brought if it hardens into tartar.
• The bacteria can affect the taste of foodstuffs and mouth freshness. This is the reason why bacterial growth could cause bad oral health.
• Gum recession is the process where the gums that hold the teeth together recede from the teeth due to plaque-induced gum diseases or any other cause.
• Plaque may lead to cavity formations in a tooth that may become painful or sensitive.
Causes
• Tartar is formed if plaque is not removed through frequent brushing and flossing which becomes much harder over time.
• Irregular brushing and cleaning helps the plaque to become hardened into tartar.
• A diet rich in sugar and carbohydrates serves as a persistent feeding for the bacteria. If the cleanliness is not done, then the bacteria will further develop plaque and tartar.
• A higher amount of calcium and phosphates in saliva leads to tartar development in a few individuals.
• An increase in plaque production and irregular flow of saliva from smoking and tobacco use will cause hardening of the plaque into tartar.
• Some are genetically more predisposed due to variations in the saliva content or the rate at which plaque builds up.
• Periodontal diseases and hormonal changes during pregnancy influence the healthiness of the gums and increase the possibility of plaque development.
Complications of Dental Plaque and Tartar
Poor management of dental plaque and tartar could result in major oral healthcare diseases. Here are the complications that are caused due to this:
• Tooth Decay
It's a serious problem due to the formation of plaque over tooth surfaces. This is because of the production of acid from plaque bacteria, which breaks down tooth enamel. Cavities might increase in size and extend further deep. If they reach the inner layer that has the blood vessels and nerves, it can eventually cause pain and sensitivity.
Dental caries can become infected or even need a tooth extraction to prevent further damage if left untreated.
• Tooth Loss
If plaque and tartar are not removed from the teeth then this will eventually result in loss of teeth. This kind of infection is caused because of an advanced gum disease called periodontitis. Plaque and tartar build up and draw the gum away from the teeth which creates small gaps that support infection growth.
Teeth become loose and eventually fall out, which affects the ability to chew, talk, and maintain an attractive smile.
• Infection Risk
Plaque and tartar highly increase the risk of infection if the gum disease or tooth decays without treatment. Bacteria from plaque could cause deep dental cavities or painful abscesses. The infection may spread to tissues around the bloodstream which may lead to serious health risks.'
This will need a urgent dental care to get rid of the causative factor and to stop infection from it.
• Stained Teeth
Another visible side effect of plaque establishment and tartar is stained teeth. This kind of stain does not remain all time on the teeth but sometimes may stick very hard. The presence of tartar can be unappealing, and it affects the level of confidence that you have in your smile.
Regular dental checkups and polishings will help keep your teeth white and free of any tartar-related staining.
• Respiratory Problems
Those people who have respiratory diseases such as asthma or pneumonia, plaque and tartar accommodate bacteria that cause infections in the lungs and support respiratory diseases.
Frequently dentist visits and daily cleaning the teeth can help to prevent from respiratory diseases and have a good life in general.
Management and Prevention
Knowing and practicing these prevention can reduce your chances of plaque and tartar in your teeth for a healthier and brighter smile.
Using Mouthwash
Using mouthwash daily can helps to maintain your oral hygiene and fight against plaque and tartar. Mouthwash offers that final defense against the bacteria since it can enter the parts of the mouth missed by brushing and flossing.
Other than freshening your breath and preventing plaque buildup, a daily rinse with this is also going to give you confidence among people.
Eating a Balanced Diet
A good diet can provide all the necessary nutrition to build hard and healthy gums. Phosphorus, calcium, and foods rich in vitamin D can harden the enamel of the teeth to make them more resistant to decay.
Crunchy fruits and vegetables will cleanse the teeth naturally by washing away bacteria and food particles with saliva.
Avoiding Sugary Foods
Since sugar is one of the primary sources of nutrition for the bacteria that form plaque, avoiding this food item would be one of the best ways to stop forming it. These bacteria in your mouth create acid while consuming sugary food items and bring enamel and cavities with them.
You can lessen the risks of these problems by avoiding sugar-loaded snacks, candies, and soft drinks.
Staying Hydrated
Keeping the mouth wet all day will help to produce saliva, which is the essential defense against plaque. It will help to wash the food particles from the teeth and also the bacteria produced by plaque.
Water contributes more to maintaining good dental health by helping to clear most of the remaining sugars and other particles that feed plaque.