Terms on prevention and oral hygiene beginning with Z

Dental deposit – The everyday word for plaque. Plaque

Gum pocket – The gap between tooth and gum. If it deepens, a space arises that no brush can reach any more. Probing depth Pocket cleaning

Neck of the tooth – The transition from crown to root. If the gum recedes, it lies exposed – and there the protective enamel is missing. Oversensitivity Dentine

Toothpaste – A carrier for fluoride and a mild abrasive. What matters is the fluoride content, not the flavour. Fluoride RDA value

Enamel – The hardest substance in the body – and the only one the body cannot form again. What has been worn away stays away. Dentine Remineralisation

Dental floss – For narrow gaps that no brush fits into. What matters is guiding it along the tooth, not sawing it into the gum. Approximal space Interdental brush

Tartar – Hardened deposit, solidified by minerals from the saliva. It cannot be brushed away and offers new deposits a rough surface. Plaque Scaler

ZMF – Dental specialist assistant. A stage of further training with extended duties in prevention. ZMP Dental hygienist

ZMP – Dental prevention assistant. She carries out professional tooth cleaning and gives instruction in oral hygiene. ZMF Dental hygienist

Sugar – Food for the caries bacteria. What matters is not the amount at one time but how often a day. Caries Nursing-bottle caries

Tongue coating – A lawn of bacteria on the back of the tongue. The main source of bad breath and a reservoir for the recolonisation of the teeth. Halitosis Tongue cleaner

Tongue cleaner – A scraper or brush for the back of the tongue. Used daily, it noticeably lowers the number of bacteria in the mouth. Tongue coating