Dental plaque vs. tooth discoloration - the difference

March 30, 2022

Many people around the world struggle with tooth discoloration. Yellow, gray or black-edged teeth are a blemish that many people find annoying and that should be eliminated as cheaply and efficiently as possible. But what is the difference between dental plaque and tooth discoloration and how do you treat both of them?

Plaque - what is it?

Dental plaque, also known as plaque in professional circles, is a white-yellowish layer on your teeth. It usually consists of food components such as Proteins, carbohydrates, phosphates or microorganisms together and, in extreme cases, can go as far as brownish or even black. A distinction is also made between hard and soft plaque. Hard plaque is reminiscent of tartar in consistency, while soft plaque is more reminiscent of other bacterial plaque. Plaque usually occurs when harmful bacteria build up in hard-to-reach places and mix with saliva and sugar from leftover food. In most cases, however, plaque can be removed very easily by thorough brushing.

Tooth discoloration - how does it happen?

Tooth discoloration can have many causes, but is mostly secondary to harmful bacteria. In most cases, unfavorable eating habits such as frequent consumption of coffee, red wine or tea play a much more decisive role. Over a longer period of time, these substances have a discoloring character, in which they penetrate the dentin of the teeth and settle there. The dentin is the outermost solid layer of each tooth and discoloration is particularly visible. The difference to normal dental plaque is that tooth discoloration can usually no longer be removed simply by brushing your teeth. Mostly help here custom-made whitening kits, such as that of OnlySmile.

At OnlySmile, we recommend that you brush your teeth thoroughly and comprehensively so that unsightly plaque cannot build up in the first place. A fluoride toothpaste and waxed dental floss are ideal for this. If you want to remove major discoloration of your teeth and can't get any further with brushing, a bleaching set from OnlySmile might be an option. OnlySmile's bleaching sets have the great advantage of only working on the surface of the teeth. Exactly where the discoloration occurs. For this we use hydrogen peroxide, a bleaching agent that is also used in professional dental practices.

Start to smile – with OnlySmile.

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