PLAQUE
 Main cause in gingivitis + periodontitis

DENTAL PLAQUE COMPOSITION
o SUPRAGINGIVAL-
 Aerobic
 Starts on the tooth surface as gram +ve then stacks G- on outer surfaces
 There are more detached plaques within supragingival plaques than subgingival plaques. *

o SUBGINGIVAL-
 Anaerobic
 Coronal portion is G+ve and apical most is filled of G-ve bacteria
 The detached plaques within subgingival area are the ones that are more toxic to tissue than attached plaques*

CONSTITUENTS :
o Bacteria
o Inorganic material- CALCIUM, SODIUM, PHOSPHORUS & FLUORIDES
o Organic components-polysacharrides, proteins, glycoproteins and lipids, Food-GLUCANS AND FRUCTANS