8 Powerful home remedies to remove plaque naturally
Dr. D.Sendhil Nathan MDS, DNB Prosthodontics And Implantology
Have you noticed a white or yellow colored substance on your teeth over the gum margins? Is it tough to remove the substance with a toothbrush? Then it is plaque build up.
Plaque is thin biofilm developed by the collaboration of oral bacteria and saliva in our mouth. If it is not removed at times, the plaque becomes sturdy and develop as tartar build up that is hard to clean or remove. The plaque and tartar build-up is an accumulation of harmful bacteria and other microorganisms which penetrates beneath the gum layer. It will lead to gum diseases like Periodontitis.
Professional teeth cleaning is the essential thing to extract the plaque build up. Apart from the dental office cleaning, simple home remedies are also effective to clean the coating on the teeth. We have listed some of them here.
1) Oil Pulling
Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid. Similarly, it has both anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. This makes the oil to stand effectively against the bacterial attack on the teeth.
- Take a teaspoon of coconut oil.
- Pour it into your mouth.
- Rinse your mouth with the fluid for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Then spit it out.
Leave your teeth free for a few minutes. Then brush your teeth in a regular manner. As the swished oil contains the bacteria, germs and other harmful microorganisms in the mouth, don’t swallow it.
We have mentioned the dental benefits of oil pulling in one of our recent posts.
2) Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe Vera is recommended by Dental Health Professionals for its oral benefits. It is a powerful remedy for treating gum diseases. This is also effective to clean the plaque.
- Add half cup of baking to a cup of water.
- Now add few drops of aloe vera gel to the mixture.
- Mix lemon essential oil and 4 teaspoons of vegetable glycerine to the solution
After preparing the paste, rub it on your teeth and left for some minutes. It will eliminate the plaque causing agents from the teeth.
3) White Vinegar
White Vinegar contains acetic acid and it also possesses antioxidants along with antibacterial properties. Follow the given steps to make a plaque-free tooth with white vinegar:
- Take a cup of warm water.
- Add one teaspoon of salt.
- Add two teaspoons of white vinegar.
Now swish your mouth with the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes and spit out.
4) Orange Peel
Orange peel which is widely used to get healthy, glowing skin is also helpful for your teeth. Antioxidants and Vitamin C present in the orange peel protect your dental health effectively more than you think.
Unlike other techniques discussed above, you can directly scrub the peel on your teeth to extract the plaque-causing bacteria.
5) Make a Vitamin Paste
Vitamin C is powerful to fight against oral bacteria. By eating more fruits and vegetables, you can strengthen your dental health to avoid plaque build up.
Fruits like mango, orange, pineapple, strawberry, watermelon, tomato, papaya, citrus fruits and some other contain a high level of Vitamin C. We recommend you to mix such Vitamin C rich fruits until you get a paste.
Rub your teeth with the paste and leave for 5 minutes. Then rinse your mouth with water. Now your mouth and teeth are free from bacteria.
6) Baking Soda
Baking soda is recommended as a home remedy for teeth whitening. It is also powerful to neutralize the acid in our mouth and minimize the bacterial attack.
- Brush your teeth with baking instead of toothpaste or toothpowder.
- Take a small amount of hydrogen peroxide and add one teaspoon of baking soda to it. Use this paste to rub your teeth and massage your gums. It will eliminate the harmful plaque causing microorganisms present in the gums.
Whether it is teeth whitening or teeth cleaning, don’t utilize baking soda frequently. It will wear down the teeth enamel and cause teeth sensitivity.
7)Adjust your diet
You know that hard candies, acidic foods and sweetened beverages are bad for our teeth. By adjusting your diet menu with teeth friendly eatables, you can avoid the bacterial accumulation that causes plaque and tartar build up.
Here are the important foods items you can add to your diet to assure plaque-free teeth:
- Guava is well-known for its antiplaque and antimicrobial properties. Consume this fruit regularly.
- Drink more water
- Consume dairy products like milk, cheese and others.
- Chew figs (Fig fruit). It will induce the salivary glands to produce more saliva.
8) Oral Hygiene
If you brush and floss your teeth efficiently, then you can safeguard your teeth from bacteria and plaque build up.
- It is better to brush in the morning and do it again before going to bed. Switching to electric toothbrush is also highly recommended.
- Don’t forget to floss.
- Swish your mouth antibacterial mouthwashes or antiseptic cleansers at regular intervals.
- Dental Scraper is the dental equipment which has a metal hook in the end. It is similar to the device used by Dentists to clean our teeth. You can get such dental scraping equipment in pharmacies. Use it at regular intervals to clean your teeth.
Plaque is harmful to our dental health more than many people think. It should be removed in order to avoid serious dental diseases. We hope that the mentioned things would be helpful to remove plaque naturally. If you have any queries or doubts regarding these, feel free to contact us or ask in the comment section.
