dental plaque

This Is What Will Happen To Your Teeth If You Give Up Sugar 

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When you smile, do you show people that you’re healthy or that you have health problems? If you’re eating too much sugar, you’re damaging your teeth. Your smile will reveal cavities and gum disease, which will dent your confidence and can lead to other health problems. Decreasing how much sugar you eat is important to staying healthy while preserving a beautiful smile. By cutting out sugar, you will boost your oral health, which will have positive effects on the rest of your body. Cutting Out Sugar Prevents Oral Bacteria There are two main types of bacteria that are found in the mouth. These are Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sorbrinus. These bacteria like to eat the sugar you eat, which forms dental plaque on your teeth. This is basically a transparent but sticky coating that forms on the surface of your teeth. … Read more

Dental Plaque May Trigger Blood Clots

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Oral bacteria that escape into the bloodstream are able to cause blood clots and trigger life-threatening endocarditis. Streptococcus gordonii is a normal inhabitant of the mouth and contributes to plaque that forms on the surface of teeth. However, if these bacteria enter into the blood stream through bleeding gums they can start to wreak havoc by masquerading as human proteins. Researchers from the University of Bristol and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) have discovered that S. gordonii is able to produce a molecule on its surface that lets it mimic the human protein fibrinogen — a blood-clotting factor. This activates the platelets which then clump inside blood vessels. These unwanted blood clots will then encase the bacteria, protecting them from the immune system and from antibiotics that might be used to treat infection. Platelet clumping can lead to … Read more