What is Dental Plaque?

Yes, we all know it's a cement-like build-up on our teeth and we're constantly warned about it as it can lead to dental problems ...

... and many of us know it is that “fuzzy-feeling” coating that builds up after eating sugary things especially, and is worsened if we delay brushing ...

... and many of us know that it hardens and needs to be periodically “chipped off” by our dental practitioner ...

... and many of us know it is a build-up of bacteria that leads to cavities and bad breath ...

... none of this is at all pleasant so what else do we need to know and how can we reduce and prevent it?

Many preventative and healthy steps are well-known to us:

• Brushing correctly twice daily to remove the fuzzy build-up, to leave teeth feeling smooth
• Flossing to remove debris between the teeth that the brushing misses
• Swishing a mouth rinse twice daily to reduce bacteria from every part of the oral cavity including the gums, tongue and inside the cheeks ...
  • The term “mouth rinse” implies an antiseptic to reduce the bacteria found in plaque, as compared with a “mouth wash” which freshens breath. 

And for this, we have developed our Oral Vitality - it is like a mouth rinse/wash in a capsule - a very convenient and tasty adjunct to oral health.

• Avoiding sticky sugary and starchy foods, pieces of which adhere to the teeth and that stuck on sugar is used by plaque to create tooth decay.
• Eating crunchy, watery foods like celery helps clean teeth naturally during a meal.
• Some of us like to rinse in salt water [I like to do this as I have been advised by health professionals that some mouth washes remove healthy oral bacteria as well as the bad stuff]


• And we hear that chewing a sugar-free (preferably xylitol as the sweetener) gum between meals can increase saliva flow which can help neutralise acids in the mouth; and this keeps our pH from dropping to acidic levels. When pH is acidic, tooth enamel is softened. [I looked into this more and apparently the bacteria in plaque break down foods and produce acid. Acid breaks down tooth enamel. My research suggested that an increased salivary flow carries with it calcium and phosphate which can strengthen tooth enamel] An interesting (I thought) aside to this chewing gum concept is that it is a practice that goes back to ancient times using various saps: The Greeks chewed sap from the mastic tree and they called it mastiche; The Mayans chewed sap from the sapodilla tree (chichle - I wonder if that’s where the name Chiclets comes from ??!!); Native Americans chewed spruce sap. I remember one of my Canadian teachers at school claimed that as a child he chewed on a sap as it was supposed to help oral health.]

Are there natural foods that can assist?

Studies have used hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) from punica granatum (pomegranate) with results suggesting it may be a possible alternative for the treatment of dental plaque due to its antibacterial activity against some plaque inducing oral bacteria.

Studies show that Cranberry has anti-adhesive properties which keep bacteria sticking to the teeth ... when bacteria sticks to the teeth, it forms a slimy surface called biofilm which is referred to an dental plaque. 

Kavalia Power has combined these two extracts (punica granatum and Vaccinium macrocarpon) in Oral Vitality to assist reduce oral bacteria and dental plaque.

Green tea has a time-honoured history of helping us remain healthy - it is the polyphenols in green tea that apparently destroy or suppress plaque bacterial. Green tea should not have sugar or lemon added to it as this negates the positives effects we are trying to achieve.

Dairy Cheese has been long known to strengthen teeth ... it increases salivary flow reducing acidity and contains calcium, phosphorus, casein and whey that strengthens tooth enamel. Interesting that a cheese platter is often a (healthy) ending to a meal. Try cheddar, brie or camembert, blue vein cheese - processed cheeses with sugars and little real cheese content offer no assistance at all! And if you can, skip desert!

This is an interesting topic and we can all benefit from increasing our knowledge ... we encourage you to research and ask questions ... our oral health has an impact on so many aspects of our overall health. We hope the above has given you “food for thought” - no pun intended!

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We are not healthcare or medical professionals and the information contained here is not to be taken as medical advice. It is recommended that you consult you healthcare professional prior to taking any supplements and always read the label, use only as directed, and if symptoms persist, see your healthcare professional.