Biofilm – What It Is and How It Is Negatively Impacting Your Oral Health

Your mouth is full of microorganisms, including various bacteria. They number in the millions! Too many bacterial organisms in your mouth can lead to some fairly detrimental dental health effects. These could include chronic bad breath, sensitive teeth, and more. When these bacteria accumulate, the result is dental biofilm. This substance, over time, will harden and form what you know as tartar. Guided biofilm therapy offered by Dr. Sam Gupta and the team at Mount Royal Dental in Burlington, Ontario, is a form of cleaning that will remove this harmful biofilm so your mouth can remain healthy and clean.

What Is Dental Biofilm?

As mentioned, there are millions of bacteria living in your mouth. Some bacteria are beneficial, while others, especially when allowed to grow and multiply, can lead to oral health problems. These harmful bacteria interact with your saliva, food particles left in your mouth, and more. Over time, these bacteria will begin to weaken your tooth’s enamel. Dental biofilm develops when these harmful bacteria are allowed to accumulate and harden, forming tartar. Tartar is different from plaque as it cannot be removed with a toothbrush and requires specific professional dental care.

Guided biofilm therapy is an 8-step technique that facilitates a safe, comfortable, and sensitivity-free experience to remove any developed biofilm while also setting your oral health up for future success.

The Difference Between Biofilm and Plaque

One important distinction we feel should be clarified is that biofilm is not the same as bacterial plaque. Colonies of bacteria exist in plaque and easily adhere to moist surfaces to form new colonies for continued growth and expansion. This layer of microscopic bacteria is biofilm. Biofilm combines with saliva and existing food particles to form tartar. This tartar is what will damage the tooth’s enamel.

Identifying Biofilm

Because dental biofilm can be hard to identify, it often does not become apparent or present obvious symptoms. This leads to many people not realizing it exists until the formation of tartar has already occurred. There are some symptoms of biofilm you can look for, including swollen or bleeding gums, bad breath, sensitive teeth, and cavities.

To learn more about biofilm and how guided biofilm therapy can help you, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Gupta by calling [phone_no].

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