The document features scanning electron microscope images that provide a close-up view of dental plaque, bacteria in the mouth, and the effects of poor oral hygiene. The high-magnification images show plaque on teeth and tools like toothbrushes covered in bacteria at the microscopic level. They also depict decay in teeth caused by the acidic waste of plaque-forming bacteria, which breaks down enamel and dentin if not removed regularly through brushing and flossing. The photos serve as a reminder of why proper oral hygiene is important for dental health.

3. Plaque attack
Amazing Photos of Plaque Under a Scanning electron microscope
(SEM).

5. They may look like rare plants or exotic landscapes but these fascinating
images show the bacterial plaque that covers your teeth and other
microorganisms living in your gumline and toothbrush as well as the decay
caused by them. The pictures were taken with a microscope that scans a
sample with a focused beam of electrons and are then coloured either
digitally or by hand to distinguish different elements of the image. These
works of art are a stark reminder of the consequences of poor dental
hygiene.

7. Dental plaque - seen above with a magnification of x400 when printed at 10 centimetres wide - is a
biofilm formed by colonising bacteria trying to attach themselves to the surface of a tooth
Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

9. And th at is what it looks like with a m agnification of x10,000 when printed at 10 centimetres wide Picture:
SPL / Barcroft Media

11. A human canine primary (milk) tooth. Most of a human tooth is formed by dentin, a substance that
envelopes the pulp chamber containing the soft connective tissue - blood vessels and nerves. The crown
of the tooth is then covered by enamel - seen above in white - a much stronger and highly mineralised
substance that protects the dentin from the acids in the mouth. In the root of a tooth, a part that in a
healthy mouth is not exposed to the same acids, the dentin is protected by a substance called cementum
- seen in pink - that serves as a medium by which the periodontal ligaments can attach to the tooth for
stability.Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

13. A freeze-fractured section through a tooth, showing the enamel-forming cell layer, in blue, the surface of
the tooth, in yellow, and the dentin, in red. Loss of enamel or cementum exposes the dentin - a porous
substance with microscopic channels, called dentinal tubules, that connects the pulp - causing
sensibility.Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

15. In yellow, bacterial plaque on the surface of a tooth. The acid produced as waste during bacterias'
digestive process demineralises the tooth creating cavities that will need fillings or may lead to tooth
loss. Although levels of tooth decay have decreased over the last few decades, it is still one of the most
widespread health problems in the UK.Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

17. If that doesn't convince you to floss every day... In yellow a large number of bacteria in the gingiva - gums -
of a human mouth. Accumulation of bacterial plaque on gumline for lack of or ineffective flossing may
cause gum diseases, such as gingivitis or periodontitis. The NHS estimates that up to 15% of adults in the
UK suffer from periodontitis, with many more affected less severely.Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

19. The s urface of a human tooth - in yell ow - showing a carpet of spherical bacteria - in blue - and red blood
cells Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

21. Bristles from a toothbrush.
Bristles become frayed and worn
with use, reducing effectiveness
of the toothbrush. Toothbrushes
should be replaced at least every
three or four months. However
they wear out differently according
to patients' unique habits such as
the strength applied during
brushing or frequency; they
should be replaced earlier if
necessary Picture: SPL / Barcroft
Media

23. Bristles from a used toothbrush
covered in dental plaque.
Toothbrushes should be rinsed
throughly after brushing to
remove any toothpaste or debris
and then allowed to air-dry in an
upright position. Closed
containers hold more moisture
and are more conducive to the
growth of microorganisms than
open air.Picture: SPL / Barcroft
Media

25. Denta l plaque on the bristles of a use d toothbrush with a magnification of x750 when printed at 10
centimetres wide Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

27. Interdental brushes, as the one above, have small bristled heads specially designed to clean between your
teeth. Your dentist might advise you to use an interdental brush according to your needs, however are no
substitute for flossing. Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

29. A clos er look at the bristles of a used interdental brush covered in dental plaque. Picture: SPL / Barcroft
Media

31. A human incisor with a cavity, or mineral loss caused by the acidic bacterial waste. In this case the decay
has formed on the side of the tooth (between two teeth) and in the gumline (between the crown - in yellow
- and the root), possibly for lack of flossing or incorrect technique. It's estimated that around one in every
three adults in England have tooth decay and a survey of five year old children carried out in 2012 found
that more than one in four had some degree of tooth decay.Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

33. The crown of a primary
(milk) tooth. Its root has
been dissolved in a process
known as deciduous root
resorption caused by the
pressure exerted by an
erupting permanent
tooth.Picture: SPL / Barcroft
Media

35. Plaqu e-forming bacteria with a magni fication of x1000 when printed at 10 centimetres wide Picture: SPL /
Barcroft Media

37. Plaque-forming bacteria Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

39. Plaqu e-forming bacteria with a magni fication of x8,000 when printed at 10 centimetres wide Picture: SPL /
Barcroft Media

41. Denta l drills, like the one above, are u sed to remove soft tissue and bacteria from decayed areas in
preparation for the cavity to receive a filling. Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

43. A den tal pin, used to reinforce fillings and crowns when a large part of the tooth is decayed or missing
Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

45. A close look at the tip of a dental drill Picture: SPL / Barcroft Media

47. Calcium phosphate crystals
which are used in dental
materials for remineralisation of
teeth following loss of minerals
caused by bacterial acid Picture:
SPL / Barcroft Media

48. end

49. cast Plaque attack
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www.telegraph.co.uk
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