Tartar is hardened plaque on your teeth, easily recognized by its yellow tinting or rough feel. Usually, plaque build-up in the areas you may miss when brushing and flossing. Which is usually around the gumlines and between the teeth, which are difficult to reach. A beautiful smile is important for many reasons, including a confidence boost and for making a great first impression. The best way to keep tartar from hardening into plaque is to maintain solid home oral care practice by seeing your dentist every six months for a dental cleaning. During the cleaning, your dentist will use scaling and planing to remove any tartar that has hardened into plaque. In the end, by reducing tartar and buildup, you avoid the need for extensive dental work and reduce your chances of gum disease. As a matter of fact, since nearly 68% of adults have tartar, it’s important to schedule a dental cleaning to remove any tartar you may miss.
As a general practice, we recommend that everyone brush, floss, and rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash to prevent tartar buildup. We also provide oral health recommendations to fit individual patients. First, let’s learn more about dental plaque.
Tartar And Dental Plaque
First, the most important takeaway is that dental plaque leads to tartar buildup. Dental plaque is a soft, sticky film that builds up on your teeth. Also known as tooth plaque, microbial plaque, and dental biofilm. This extremely sticky, colourless pale yellow biofilm regularly forms on the teeth. After you eat or drink, the combination of saliva, food, and fluids creates bacteria where the teeth and gums meet. The bacteria produce acids that attack the tooth enamel. It’s essential to remove plaque through regular brushing and flossing; they can cause tooth decay, gum disease, and tartar buildup.
What Are The Issues With Tartar as Hardened Plaque?
It’s important to know that tartar buildup can lead to severe conditions like cavities and gum disease. Tartar is plaque that has hardened on your teeth underneath the gum line and can irritate gum tissues. Another issue is that tartar also gives plaque more surface area to grow and a stickier surface area. There are also cosmetic concerns because tartar is more porous; it absorbs stains easily. So coffee or tea drinkers and smokers need to prevent tartar buildup.
Did You Know?
- 68% of adults have tartar
- You can remove plaque at home, but tartar removal requires the help of a dental professional
- Tartar builds up faster with age
How Do I Know If I Have Tartar Buildup?
The most common sign of tartar is a yellow or brown colour to teeth or gums. It’s important to know that you won’t notice the plaque because of its translucent appearance. On the other hand, tartar is a mineral buildup that’s relatively easy to see if above the gumline.
How Can I Prevent Tartar Buildup?
Staying on top of your oral health and preventing plaque buildup on teeth is the best way to prevent tartar. Proper brushing, especially with a tartar control toothpaste, and flossing are necessary to reduce plaque and tartar buildup. And visit your dental office regularly for oral exams and cleanings.
Tartar Has Formed
Once tartar has formed, only your dentist or hygienist can remove it. Scaling involves using special instruments to remove tartar from your teeth above and below the gum line.
Conditions Related to Dental Plaque and Tartar
If you don’t take the steps needed to prevent and get rid of plaque, it may lead to:
- Dental Cavities: the acids produced by the bacteria in plaque can cause low pH levels. They can eat away at your tooth enamel.
- Gum Disease (Gingivitis): Accumulation of plaque bacteria can cause inflammation of the gums.
- Halitosis (Bad Breath): Plaque buildup from poor dental hygiene can also cause your breath to smell bad.
