London Drugs

Focus On Health

What Does it Take to be Healthy

Vision Perfect

Colds and Flu

Kidney Disease

If You Grind Your Teeth

Removing Tartar and Plaque

Exercise and Disease Prevention

Safely Back to School

Removing Tartar and Plaque

Plaque is the sticky whitish substance that builds up on the surface of your teeth, close to the gum line. It is particularly evident behind the lower front teeth and often on the front surface of these teeth. Plaque is bad for your health because it traps bacteria, which can get under the gum line and cause an infection known as gingivitis. This can be very painful and cause you to lose your teeth.

It is important to remove plaque every day with careful, thorough brushing and flossing. If you don't it will harden into tarter or calculus, and have to be removed by your dentist or dental hygienist.

Recently, researchers at the University of Florida have linked dental plaque to cardiovascular disease. They have discovered that live germs found in oral plaque somehow make their way into the plaque that lines the arteries when a person has atherosclerosis. Doctors who are aware of this finding are therefore suggesting sound dental hygiene may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks.

The best way to remove plaque is to brush your teeth twice a day, for as close to five minutes as possible. Angle your brush towards the gumline and move it in small circles using gentle pressure. Then, follow with a flossing, making sure you angle the floss against the teeth, and move it up and down the length of the tooth in a 'sawing' motion. Again, it is important to be gentle. Finish with a good rinsing, making sure you do not swallow the water or mouthwash.

Using a pick device to clean between the teeth is also helpful. When used as directed, a pick can reach food particles between the teeth that brushing and flossing may leave behind. The Doctor's Orapik and The Doctor's Traveler help remove tartar and plaque between visits to your dentist. The Doctor's Orapik comes with a dental mirror to help you see areas that may require cleaning. The Doctor's Traveler consists of two picks that are ideal for use when traveling or at the office. You can find both products in the toothpaste section at your local London Drugs.