Sticky plaque is a kind of biofilm. A thin grouping of bacteria, plaque biofilm lives on gum tissue, teeth, and crowns.

Plaque constantly forms on your teeth. When you eat or drink foods or beverages with sugars or starches, the bacteria release acids that attack your tooth enamel.

The plaque is so sticky that it keeps the acids in contact with your teeth, in time breaking down the enamel so that tooth decay occurs.

Plaque buildup can also lead to gum disease -- first gingivitis, the tender and swollen gums that sometimes bleed. If it progresses, severe periodontal (gum) disease can develop. Gum tissue pulls away from the teeth, allowing the bacteria to destroy the underlying bone supporting the teeth.

If you have gum disease, our hygienist may do a procedure called root planing and scaling. Root planing and scaling is one of the most effective ways to treat gum disease before it becomes severe. Root planing and scaling removes plaque and tartar buildup between the gums and the teeth down to the roots.
If the hygienist can remove all the plaque and tartar from the roots of your teeth, and if you follow treatment with good dental care, your gums should heal and reattach to the teeth. You must brush and floss daily after root planing and scaling. Without proper dental care, your gum disease may get worse.

Gum Disease and Heart Disease

Over the years, many studies have found an association between periodontal disease and heart disease, with patients who have gum disease more likely also to have poor heart health, including heart attacks.

In 2009, a consensus paper on the relationship between heart disease and gum disease was developed by the American Academy of Periodontology and The American Journal of Cardiology. It was published in the Journal of Periodontology and The American Journal of Cardiology.

The joint recommendations encourage cardiologists to ask their patients about any gum disease problems, and the periodontists to ask their patients about any family history of heart disease and their heart health.