Disclosing tablets are chewable tablets that make

dental plaque Dental plaque is a biofilm of microorganisms (mostly bacteria, but also fungi) that grows on surfaces within the mouth. It is a sticky colorless deposit at first, but when it forms tartar, it is often brown or pale yellow. It is commonly found bet ...

visible. The tablets, sold

over the counter Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a requirement for a prescription from a healthcare professional, as opposed to prescription drugs, which may be supplied only to consumers possessing a valid prescr ...

in many countries, contain a dye (typically a vegetable dye, such as Phloxine B) that stains the plaque a bright color (typically red or blue). After brushing, one chews a tablet and rinses. Colored stains on the teeth indicate areas where plaque remains after brushing, providing feedback to improve brushing technique. For self-examination, a

dental mirror A mouth mirror or dentist's mirror is an instrument used in dentistry. The head of the mirror is usually round, and the most common sizes used are No. 4 (⌀ 18 mm) and No. 5 (⌀ 20 mm). A No. 2 is sometimes used when a smaller mirr ...

may be needed. More sophisticated varieties of plaque disclosing agents contain several dyes, which selectively stain plaque of different ages. With the most common variety, immature plaque stains red, mature purple, and pathological acidic plaque blue. This is owing to the blue dye washing off immature plaque, and acid degrading the red dye. In effect, red dye reveals new plaque, whilst blue dye reveals old plaque and a purple/pink colouring reveals built-up old and new plaque stuck together causing infections. Disclosing tablets are commonly used by those undergoing orthodontic treatments to prevent plaque build up in areas which are harder to brush. An example of a dye with a patented use as a "Dental Plaque Disclosing Agent" is

Erythrosine Erythrosine, also known as Red No. 3, is an organoiodine compound, specifically a derivative of fluorone. It is a pink dye which is primarily used for food coloring. It is the disodium salt of 2,4,5,7-tetraiodofluorescein. Its maximum absorbanc ...

References

Dental materials {{Dentistry-stub