What Are Disclosing Tablets And How Do They Work

If you are a parent then you probably have asked your child multiple times if they have brushed their teeth. Of course, this is almost always met with the child quickly answering yes! While the child probably did, in fact, brush their teeth, the problem really arises as to how well they brushed. While timers work really well by keeping them brushing for the correct duration, that doesn’t mean they are adequately reaching all of the spots on their teeth. It can be difficult for a child and even parents to notice they are brushing inadequately until it is time for a dental check-up and multiple cavities are found. Luckily, there is a little-known product that can help children brush better. There’re called disclosing tablets and they are very beneficial to our young patients in helping them stay on track with their oral hygiene.

Disclosing tablets (pictured below) are formed from vegetable dye which binds itself to the plaque on someone’s teeth and dyes it red.

This allows the individual to see where they still have plaque left on their teeth, as it is normally a colorless film that adheres to the tooth’s enamel. When not removed by proper oral hygiene, this plaque will turn into tartar, which becomes much harder to remove and will stain the teeth a yellowish-brown color. The tartar will eventually cause decay by eroding the tooth’s protective enamel surface, allowing bacteria to form on the inside of the tooth, which causes cavities. These tablets are great for kids because it shows them where the plaque is accumulating on their teeth and whether they are brushing it all off. It is also a great tool for parents to check how their kids are brushing and find ways to coach them to do better.

If you would like more information on disclosure tablets, give us a call. Our staff can direct you where to find the tablets and will even show you how to use them. We feel education leads to great prevention, therefore, our staff works diligently to teach our patients ways they can prevent costly and discomfort able dental treatments in the future.