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Dental plaque

Also called: tooth plaque
A sticky film that coats teeth and contains bacteria.
  • Treatable by a medical professional
  • Requires a medical diagnosis
  • Lab tests or imaging not required
  • Medium-term: resolves within months
If dental plaque isn't removed when it's soft, it hardens and becomes difficult to remove. Dental plaque can damage a tooth and lead to tooth decay or tooth loss.
A film on the teeth may be the only symptom. In some cases, people experience other symptoms such as receding gums or bad breath.
Regular brushing and flossing can help prevent plaque.
Very common: More than 3 million US cases per year
Consult a doctor for medical advice Sources: Mayo Clinic and others. Learn more

Learn to pronounce plaque

/plak/
noun
  1. an ornamental tablet, typically of metal, porcelain, or wood, that is fixed to a wall or other surface in commemoration of a person or event.
    synonyms: memorial tablet, plate, stone plate, metal plate, tablet, panel, sign, brass, medallion, plaquette, cartouche
  2. a sticky deposit on teeth in which bacteria proliferate.
    "plaque around gum margins can lead to gingivitis"
  3. a small, distinct, typically raised patch or region resulting from local damage or deposition of material, such as a fatty deposit on an artery wall in atherosclerosis or a site of localized damage of brain tissue in Alzheimer's disease.

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Plaque definition: a thin, flat plate or tablet of metal, porcelain, etc., intended for ornament, as on a wall, or set in a piece of furniture.
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