Now’s the time to think about your next check-up


There’s a lot you can do in the next six months.

The first step is to learn more about all the things that can harm your teeth and gums. And the second is to learn more about how Colgate Total can help protect you against them.

Plaque

Plaque is an invisible, sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth, even after you’ve brushed. This bacterial plaque can irritate your gums, leading to gum disease and cavities.

Cavities

You probably haven’t had a cavity since you were a child, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get them again. As an adult, eating surgary or starchy food still produces the acids that attack tooth enamel. After repeated attacks, the enamel breaks down, forming a cavity and exposing the sensitive part of the tooth.

Tartar

As plaque stays on your teeth and gums, it hardens and forms into tartar - an ugly cement, like substance that irritates the gums. Once tartar forms, only your dental professional can remove it. Tartar also provides the perfect place for further bacteria to grow, which perpetuates the cycle: bacteria > plaque > tartar.

Gingivitis

The early stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. It affects 90% of today’s adults. In fact, adults lose more teeth due to gum disease than to cavities.
Noticeable signs of gingivitis are gums that turn red, become swollen, or even bleed. As gum disease gets worse, infections occur and gum tissue is destroyed. The bone that secures the teeth deteriorates, and along with loss of gum tissue, the teeth loosen and eventually fall out. This advanced stage of gum disease is called Periodontitis.
Once gum disease reaches this final stage, surgery is often the only answer, and sometimes even that isn’t enough.