Gary,

Not to beat a dead horse. One more point of clarification. Calculus is calcified plaque. That is dead plaque. Plaque is a living substance made up mostly of bacteria. So the calculus does come from the plaque and there is always plaque on top of the calculus. However, before plaque calcifies and it is in it's early stages, it is just a film and cannot be detected on x-rays.

With all the knowledge that you already have, now you can probably pass the dental exam.

Ed,

I never thought about it from the acidic point of view which now makes it very obvious. We spend so much time telling our patients to limit sweets, that we develope tunnel vision. Thanks to you and Karen for the follow-up.

John,

Happy to hear that you are not having problems. You must be very faithful with your homecare. Keep up the good work.

Jerry