Dental plaque is a sticky, colorless, substance that builds up around the gum line. It is made up of food particles and saliva. Plaque can easily be removed with daily tooth brushing, rinsing and oil pulling. If it is left unattended, it develops into tartar.
Causes of tooth cavities
Teeth are just like bones. They can be added with minerals to fill up cavities. This process is called remineralization.
If the cavities in your teeth are not deep, then your teeth can remineralize themselves with minerals, mainly calcium and phosphorus. Remineralization happens when there is no acidic environment in the oral cavity.
Streptococcus Mutans is a bacteria that attacks the teeth, feeds on sugar particles available in the oral cavity and excretes acid. This acid eats your tooth to form cavities / dental caries.
Tips to avoid tooth cavity
The method to reduce acidity and to re-mineralize the teeth are:
- Practice nasal breathing and avoid oral breathing as much as you can.
- Drink more water, rinse the mouth frequently – It helps to dilute the acidic environment and brings the pH to above 5.5, which is critical to avoid caries.
- Diet rich in: wild salmon, seafood, eggs, cacao, leafy greens, raw dairy, fermented foods
- Ayurvedic natural supplement for calcium such as
- Pravala Bhasma – Prepared from natural coral,
- Shankha Bhasma – prepared from conch,
- Mukta Pishti – prepared from pearls etc.
- Regular oil pulling with Irimedadi oil is also extremely beneficial. Ayurveda scholars have mentioned that oil pulling in the morning should be part of everyone’s healthy daily routine. Read more about oil pulling method, benefits
- Xylitol chewing gum
- Nano-Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
Ways to avoid teeth losing minerals
Avoid
Dry mouth, mouth breathing
Acid Reflux
Excess citric acid foods – orange, grapefruit, berries
Sugar/Candy/Soda – Aerated drinks
Poor oral hygiene
Processed and starchy snack foods, junk foods
Tartar
Tartar is yellow, hard and crusty. It can lead to bacteria growth and cavity formation. It is usually removed by a dentist by scaling.
Ayurvedic literature explains this condition as Danta sharkara, as the appearance is similar to the sugar coating over the teeth with granular shape.
According to Acharya Vagbhata, the dantamala (blemishes over the teeth) is dried by the vata and it takes the shape of thick adhesion like the sugar gravels and hence Danta sharkara is manifested.
Causes
Causes for Tartar (Danta sharkara)
Poor dental health
Smoking
Remaining without flossing after each food
Carbohydrate rich food
Excess intake of eatables like candy, cookies and other sweet things, bread, cereal, potatoes, corn etc
Clinical presentation
Clinical presentations of Tartar (Danta sharkara)
Yellow or white thick adherence over the teeth
Rough or dry adherence
Foul smell of mouth etc
Treatment
Line of treatment for Tartar (Danta sharkara)
Removal of tartar by avoiding injury to the root of the teeth is the first line of treatment.
Flossing, proper tooth brushing, oral rinsing and regular oil pulling helps to get rid of the plaque efficiently. This prevents the formation of tartar.
Ayurvedic formulations useful in treating Plaque and Tartar (Danta sharkara)
Internal administration
Oral Ayurvedic medicines are administered as part of internal cleansing and detoxification. They also help in relieving gum pain and swelling.
Triphala guggulu
Gandhaka rasayana
Khadiradi vati
Lavangadi vati
Arogyavardhini Vati
Kaishora guggulu
For gargling
For gargling/retention in the mouth –
Irimedadi taila
Saindhavadya taila
Kwhara taila with salt.
For brushing
Bakula choorna
Dashana samskar churna
Dasanakanti Choorna
Read related: Ayurvedic Way Of Teeth Brushing And Tongue Scraping
Ayurvedic home remedies
Few home remedies for tooth plaque and Tartar (Danta sharkara)
- The herbs nutmeg (Jatiphala), Triphala (Hareetaki, Vibheetaki and Amalaki) and Saindhava lavana are made into fine powder and rubbed well to the teeth. This helps to clear the tartar.
- The herbs – ginger, long pepper and black pepper are made into fine powder. Burnt in open air into ashes. To this, little salt is added and mixed well. This is used for brushing the teeth. If gum bleeding is there, turmeric powder is added to this mix, while brushing.
Do’s and dont’s
Do’s and Don’ts in dental plaque and Tartar (Danta sharkara)
Green tea, regular brushing, intake of easily digestible and less fat and carbohydrate food will help to prevent the formation of tartar. Instead, sugar rich food, smoking habits, hard food, non vegetarian diet and unhygienic mouth will lead to worsening of tartarand dental plaques.
Last drop
Some believe that plaque and tartar protect the teeth from injuries which is not correct. Constant negligence of tartar may cause tooth decay and various gum diseases. So immediate attention should be given and preventive measures are to be adopted.
Article by Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), PhD (Ayu)
Consult Dr Krishnamurthy by email.
