Human saliva contains over 800 species of bacteria, over 100 species of fungi as well as mineral, chemical and dietary components. If this is not kept under control, immediately after brushing your teeth, saliva releases certain chemical compounds that coat the teeth and form a membrane. At this point, the pellicle (biofilm) begins to act like a double-sided adhesive tape, sticking to the teeth and absorbing anything that comes into contact with it. Within a few minutes, glycoproteins are released from the saliva, deposited on the pellicle (biofilm) and solidify and serve as anchor points for other bacteria.
Next, the bacteria in saliva attach to these anchor points and begin to consume sugar, causing them to multiply and attract other bacteria, which combine with food and other debris in the saliva to form soft plaque. The bacteria in plaque continue to consume sugar and release lactic acid, which demineralizes your tooth enamel and can eventually cause a cavity if not brushed.
Over time and under the right conditions in the mouth, plaque can also calcify and turn into hard tartar within 5-7 days, which can only be removed by a dentist or hygienist with a professional clinical scaler.
Our goal with every toothbrush is to remove plaque before it causes damage. There are various ways to do this, the most popular of which is “simple sweeping” with a mini broom, a toothbrush. Electric and sonic toothbrushes move the bristles up and down or in circles, replacing some hand movements. Some of these sonic toothbrushes are very aggressive (move up and down with a lot of force) that have the potential to remove your tooth enamel and damage your gums over a lifetime.