Is there plaque on your teeth? If you have, you could have a greater risk of developing cancer , claims a new report, that has found a direct link between oral health and cancer .
People with the greatest incidence of plaque were almost twice as likely to have cancer, and, in women , it was most likely to be breast cancer. Analysts from Helsinki University in Finland found a direct link between amounts of plaque and cancer risk when they looked at oral hygiene and cancer rates in 1,390 people. Source: British Medical Journal 2012 2 e001083.
So What Exactly is Plaque?
Plaque is that sticky, white substance that forms on teeth, between them and in the area between the teeth and gums called the sulcus. Plaque is seen as the main cause of gum disease. Look into a mirror and run a fingernail along the baseline of your teeth. You will probably see a white deposit. This is plaque.
Really?
Yes. The plaque in your mouth is a complex mixture of different types of bacteria, cells, protein strands and fluids . So long as plaque is 'healthy' it will protect the teeth and ward off harmful bacteria. In her groundbreaking book 'Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye', Dr. Ellie Phillips describes healthy plaque as a form of comforter that covers and protects teeth. If 'bad' bacteria invade this comforter everything changes and the comforter is no longer protective, instead becoming a source of risk and damage. Plaque is at first a healthy layer on your teeth that only becomes unhealthy when your mouth becomes acidic.
This is a really important point to make . When this occurs the enzymes and the bacterial toxins in the plaque attack healthy gums and teeth, bringing about infection and damage . The cause of gum disease is not the plaque itself but the harmful bacteria in the plaque. This harmful bacteria turn sugars into acid. Under normal circumstances this acid is quite weak and won't affect your gums or the enamel of teeth . Yet under plaque, these acids are not eliminated by saliva and start to take on a new concentration .
One type of bacteria will ultimately cause the gum to swell and bleed , create pockets as the gums loosen and detach itself from the tooth. Another type will slowly destroy enamel and cause the teeth to decay .
There is a specially designed brush, the Blotting Brush, recently as 'a weapon of plaque destruction' with a capillary action in the bristle that's very efficient at eliminating the unhealthy plaque and the acid-forming bacteria. In a plaque-free mouth, even sweet foods become less destructive to the teeth.
Eating healthy food is one positive step to keep your mouth alkaline. This therefore helps to keep plaque healthy and encourage the production of good saliva which cleans the mouth. Always remember that your saliva is by far the most effective mouthwash available Carbonated soft drinks can cause havoc in the mouth. Diet sodas are the worst of the bunch because of their high acid content. Lazy or poor flossing and brushing habits can push plaque deeper in the crevices around the teeth. The Blotting Brush reaches into those areas and draws the plaque away .
Once these harmful bacteria-loaded plaque deposits are removed through blotting , the gums are on their way back to being healthy and safeguarding your teeth.
People with the greatest incidence of plaque were almost twice as likely to have cancer, and, in women , it was most likely to be breast cancer. Analysts from Helsinki University in Finland found a direct link between amounts of plaque and cancer risk when they looked at oral hygiene and cancer rates in 1,390 people. Source: British Medical Journal 2012 2 e001083.
So What Exactly is Plaque?
Plaque is that sticky, white substance that forms on teeth, between them and in the area between the teeth and gums called the sulcus. Plaque is seen as the main cause of gum disease. Look into a mirror and run a fingernail along the baseline of your teeth. You will probably see a white deposit. This is plaque.
Really?
Yes. The plaque in your mouth is a complex mixture of different types of bacteria, cells, protein strands and fluids . So long as plaque is 'healthy' it will protect the teeth and ward off harmful bacteria. In her groundbreaking book 'Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye', Dr. Ellie Phillips describes healthy plaque as a form of comforter that covers and protects teeth. If 'bad' bacteria invade this comforter everything changes and the comforter is no longer protective, instead becoming a source of risk and damage. Plaque is at first a healthy layer on your teeth that only becomes unhealthy when your mouth becomes acidic.
This is a really important point to make . When this occurs the enzymes and the bacterial toxins in the plaque attack healthy gums and teeth, bringing about infection and damage . The cause of gum disease is not the plaque itself but the harmful bacteria in the plaque. This harmful bacteria turn sugars into acid. Under normal circumstances this acid is quite weak and won't affect your gums or the enamel of teeth . Yet under plaque, these acids are not eliminated by saliva and start to take on a new concentration .
One type of bacteria will ultimately cause the gum to swell and bleed , create pockets as the gums loosen and detach itself from the tooth. Another type will slowly destroy enamel and cause the teeth to decay .
There is a specially designed brush, the Blotting Brush, recently as 'a weapon of plaque destruction' with a capillary action in the bristle that's very efficient at eliminating the unhealthy plaque and the acid-forming bacteria. In a plaque-free mouth, even sweet foods become less destructive to the teeth.
Eating healthy food is one positive step to keep your mouth alkaline. This therefore helps to keep plaque healthy and encourage the production of good saliva which cleans the mouth. Always remember that your saliva is by far the most effective mouthwash available Carbonated soft drinks can cause havoc in the mouth. Diet sodas are the worst of the bunch because of their high acid content. Lazy or poor flossing and brushing habits can push plaque deeper in the crevices around the teeth. The Blotting Brush reaches into those areas and draws the plaque away .
Once these harmful bacteria-loaded plaque deposits are removed through blotting , the gums are on their way back to being healthy and safeguarding your teeth.
About the Author:
Born and brought up in Asia, Graeme was intrigued by the way in which different Asian cultures approach their health and wellbeing. He studied aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine and together with his wife Phylipa, now runs ToothWizards, an oral health initiative to help people achieve self-sufficiency in dental health. Click here for more information on Blotting Brushes
