If your dentist wants you to boost your oral care routine, then they might suggest that you start using disclosing tablets. Read on to learn more about these tablets, how they work and what they do.
What Are Disclosing Tablets?
Disclosing tablets are small chewable pills. They help you see if you have plaque on your teeth.
The tablets contain a harmless dye that coats the teeth when you chew them. The dye doesn't activate if a tooth doesn't have any plaque on it. However, if you have plaque on some teeth, the dye will turn affected areas a specific colour.
Some tablets use pink or red dyes while some use blue ones. Some combine two or even three colours.
How Do You Use Disclosing Tablets?
You usually use disclosing tablets after you brush your teeth. You chew a tablet to break it down and then rinse out your mouth.
When you look in the mirror you will see that dye has coloured any parts of your teeth that still have plaque on them. So, if you're using a pink tablet, some parts of your teeth will turn bright pink.
To get rid of the colouring, you simply brush the affected areas again. Once the dye has gone, you know that the plaque has gone too.
What Are the Advantages of Disclosing Tablets?
Plaque naturally forms on the teeth. When you eat, it can react with some foods to create bacteria. This bacteria can harm your teeth and gums.
For example, plaque can turn into tartar. It can also increase the risks of cavities and gum disease if it sits on your teeth for too long.
However, plaque is invisible. It makes your teeth feel coated, but you can't really see it. While regular brushing and flossing removes some plaque, you won't necessarily get rid of all of it.
Disclosing tablets make plaque visible. They show you how well—or how badly—you are cleaning your teeth. If your teeth get dyed, then you can see the plaque that is left in your mouth after you have brushed your teeth.
This helps you boost your oral care routine. You get to see parts of your mouth where you might not be brushing for as long or as effectively as you should. Once you know where these areas are, you can make sure to brush them better. This will become a habit, and you'll naturally start to keep your teeth cleaner.
For more advice, talk to your dentist. They can recommend suitable disclosing tablets and explain how often you should use them.
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