Plaque disclosing tablets are chewable indicators designed to reveal areas of the mouth where regular brushing and flossing have been insufficient. These tools contain a harmless vegetable dye that adheres specifically to dental plaque, which is otherwise a colorless film of bacteria. By staining the plaque, the tablets transform this invisible deposit into a clearly visible area, allowing individuals to visually target specific spots for better cleaning. Using these agents provides immediate, personalized feedback on the quality of one’s oral hygiene routine.
Step-by-Step Guide to Tablet Use
Begin by protecting your lips from external staining, perhaps by applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly. The most informative method is to use the tablet before any cleaning to establish a true baseline of plaque coverage. Place a single tablet in your mouth, ideally toward the back molars, and chew it completely.
Chew the tablet for a full 30 seconds until it is entirely dissolved and thoroughly mixed with saliva. Move the resulting colored liquid across all tooth surfaces, including the tongue side, cheek side, and the biting surfaces of every tooth. This passive application relies on the fluid contact to chemically bond with the colorless biofilm.
Once the dye is distributed, carefully spit the excess solution into the sink, being mindful of potential splatter. Avoid immediate, vigorous rinsing with water, as this action can prematurely dilute the dye and reduce visibility. Instead, use a very gentle rinse or allow the residual dye to remain for clearer examination.
Use a hand mirror and bright lighting to scrutinize the teeth and the interface where the tooth meets the gum tissue. Any stained areas represent bacterial biofilm deposits that have successfully bonded with the coloring agent. This visual feedback provides a precise map of the areas that require focused mechanical removal during the subsequent cleaning routine.
Understanding the Plaque Colors
Many modern disclosing tablets utilize a dual-color system to provide more nuanced feedback on the age of the plaque. Single-color tablets stain all plaque deposits with one shade, typically red, indicating any biofilm that needs immediate removal. The dual-color formulation offers a diagnostic advantage by differentiating between new and established bacterial colonies.
The newer, softer bacterial deposits, typically those formed within the last 12 hours, will generally stain a lighter color, such as red or pink. This color indicates fresh plaque that should be relatively easy to remove with routine brushing and flossing. A high prevalence of this color suggests that recent cleaning was either too brief or missed specific spots.
Conversely, older, more mature plaque, established for over 12 to 24 hours, stains a darker, more intense color, often blue or purple. This older biofilm is more tenacious and usually harbors a denser concentration of bacteria. Seeing this darker shade signals areas that have been consistently neglected over multiple cleaning cycles and require extra attention.
Frequency and Post-Use Tips
For individuals improving their technique, using the tablets daily for one week can serve as an intensive training period for muscle memory. Once an effective cleaning method is established, the frequency can be reduced to a monitoring schedule, such as once every seven to ten days. This periodic check ensures that ineffective cleaning habits have not returned to the daily routine.
After the examination and subsequent thorough cleaning, thoroughly rinse the mouth to remove any residual dye from the soft tissues. The dye can temporarily stain the tongue and lips, but this fades quickly with rinsing and normal saliva production. Brushing the tongue helps accelerate the complete removal of any remaining color.
The dye used in the tablets can easily stain clothing, towels, and countertops, so exercise caution when spitting and rinsing. Applying a small amount of petroleum jelly to the lips before use is a simple preventative measure to avoid external staining of the skin around the mouth. Promptly wipe down any sink surfaces that have come into contact with the brightly colored solution.