Plaque is a sticky film of food, saliva, and germs. Plaque loves to settle in at the gum line. There germs get busy making your gums red, tender, and likely to bleed. The goal of your daily tooth brushing and flossing is to clean away plaque. When plaque stays put, it hardens into tartar.
Tartar builds up under the gum line.
More plaque forms over the tartar. Only your dentist or dental hygienist can get tartar off your teeth. If plaque and tartar are not cleaned away, even gentle brushing can cause your gums to bleed. This is called gingivitis. It is the first stage of gum disease.