We hope you're not eating at the moment, because this might just put you off your food.
These wildly disturbing images, which could be mistaken for alien lifeforms, are in fact bits of bacteria found in your mouth - and they're very much alive. Bleurgh!
For those not in-the-know, plaque is a sticky, colourless deposit of bacteria which constantly forms on the surface of your teeth and is composed of a concoction of saliva, food and fluids. You'll usually find them lurking on your teeth, as well as between your teeth and gums.
Plaque can be a bit of a pain in terms of cosmetics and dental health. Bacterial deposits will trap stains onto your teeth and can also play a leading part in causing gum problems. Not good.
The other bit of not-so-great news is that you'll be fighting a lifelong battle with plaque, which can lead to the development of cavities if not dealt with properly.
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There is hope, though. Plaque can be fought with the right weapons, namely: a good toothbrush, a decent mouthwash and dental floss.
Specialists at Oral B highlight the importance of flossing daily in order to prevent plaque from building in those hard-to-reach places between teeth. This is mainly because brushing teeth, although necessary, is not enough on its own.
And it's not just plaque you need to be wary of. Plaque's rival, Tartar (also called Calculus - not an Ancient Roman leader, we promise) is a crusty deposit which traps stains on the teeth and can cause discolouration (hi yellow teeth).
To conclude: brush twice a day, get flossing and make sure that your mouth doesn't become a zoo for bacterial friends.
If we weren't considering buying shares in dental floss before, we definitely are now.
These wildly disturbing images, which could be mistaken for alien lifeforms, are in fact bits of bacteria found in your mouth - and they're very much alive. Bleurgh!
For those not in-the-know, plaque is a sticky, colourless deposit of bacteria which constantly forms on the surface of your teeth and is composed of a concoction of saliva, food and fluids. You'll usually find them lurking on your teeth, as well as between your teeth and gums.
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Plaque can be a bit of a pain in terms of cosmetics and dental health. Bacterial deposits will trap stains onto your teeth and can also play a leading part in causing gum problems. Not good.
The other bit of not-so-great news is that you'll be fighting a lifelong battle with plaque, which can lead to the development of cavities if not dealt with properly.
LIKE HUFFPOST UK LIFESTYLE ON FACEBOOK | FOLLOW US ON TWITTER | WE'RE ALSO ON INSTAGRAM
There is hope, though. Plaque can be fought with the right weapons, namely: a good toothbrush, a decent mouthwash and dental floss.
Specialists at Oral B highlight the importance of flossing daily in order to prevent plaque from building in those hard-to-reach places between teeth. This is mainly because brushing teeth, although necessary, is not enough on its own.
And it's not just plaque you need to be wary of. Plaque's rival, Tartar (also called Calculus - not an Ancient Roman leader, we promise) is a crusty deposit which traps stains on the teeth and can cause discolouration (hi yellow teeth).
To conclude: brush twice a day, get flossing and make sure that your mouth doesn't become a zoo for bacterial friends.
If we weren't considering buying shares in dental floss before, we definitely are now.