Any cook knows that if you leave food in a warm, moist environment, it’s going to go rotten. This is why professional kitchens clean the entire food processing area after every food prep session and have regular deep cleans to get to the more inaccessible areas. When kitchens don’t do that, it won’t be long before the environmental health inspectors are called and the restaurant or café gets shut down.
Your mouth is your portable food processing area, and, as such, also needs to be regularly cleaned. You may not get food poisoning if you don’t clean your mouth and teeth, but any food trapped between your teeth will still rot, which can lead to infection. And you will develop other problems such as tooth decay and gum disease from a build-up of plaque.
What is plaque?
Plaque is the name for that sticky film you can feel appearing on your teeth as the day goes by. If you leave it there for more than 3 days, it hardens into a chalky substance called tartar or calculus. Plaque is made up of bacteria that feed on sugar and give off corrosive acids.
What do acids actually do?
Acids from plaque corrode your tooth enamel, making holes through which decay-causing bacteria can enter. These bacteria rot the soft yellow dentin below the enamel and also attack the pulp inside the dentin, which contains a blood supply and nerves. Once the pulp is under attack, you will experience toothache. The rot can lead to infection and you may even lose your tooth.
The acids also inflame and irritate your gums, which is why gums swell up and feel sore. They also pull away from your teeth, creating pockets. Plaque can now get under your gums and start to corrode your tooth roots, which have no enamel as well as your jawbone. This often leads to painful infection. Your teeth become loose and then fall out.
Dental hygiene
This is why at Wimbledon Dental Care in Wimbledon, we recommend that you brush twice daily for 2 minutes with a fluoride toothpaste and come to us for bi-annual check-ups and deep cleanings. Together we can keep your mouth as clean as your kitchen.