Plaque and Tartar

You’ve doubtlessly heard about the dangers of plaque and tartar. These build-ups on teeth can contribute to cavities and stains, and your child needs to brush and floss their teeth everyday to prevent them. But you may not be clear on what the exact difference between plaque and tartar is, or whether one is a bigger problem than the other. At Kidz Connextion in Phoenix, we consider dental education to be one of our most important duties. We thought it would be a good idea to go over the basic aspects of how dental build-up develops, and why tooth brushing is one of the most important things you can teach your child to keep them healthy.

Our mouths are home to millions of bacteria. Most of them are helpful or harmless, but some of them produce acid when they eat the food that gets stuck to our teeth. Our teeth are always covered with saliva, and plaque is the name we give to the acidic mixture of saliva and bacteria that develops when the bacteria are allowed to increase in number. Bacterial acid causes teeth to decay and our gums to recede, and over time, it may cause cavities to grow and teeth to become unstable. When plaque hardens, it becomes tartar, which is the solid yellow mineral coating we see on the edges of teeth if we don’t floss often enough. Tartar further contributes to gum recession, which may be difficult to reverse.

The best thing your children can do to remove plaque is brush their teeth at least twice a day. Dentists recommend brushing babies' teeth as soon as the first one erupts. Children’s teeth, in particular, tend to be softer and more vulnerable to decay, and before they get orthodontic treatment, it’s harder to clean every side of every tooth. Regular dental appointments give us an opportunity to remove tartar and teach proper brushing technique, reducing children’s risk of developing toothaches and needing expensive fillings.

Kidz Connextion has three convenient locations in Phoenix, Arizona. To schedule an appointment at 2533 N 75th St, text 623-232-0749. For our office at 2046 N 24th St, text 480-666-5984. For our office at 524 E Baseline Rd, text 480-405-4714. Or, visit Kidz Connextion on our website.