Not removing tartar from your teeth early can cause tooth decay as the bacteria eats away at your tooth enamel. It can lead to gum diseases such as gingivitis or more seriously periodontal disease which is when your gums recede or shrink away from your teeth.
When the untreated tartar continues to buildup, tooth decay results. Since plaque and tartar are acidic, they can eat through the tooth enamel and cause cavities. Extensive decay is also a possibility and you may lose your teeth.
Tartar, also called calculus, forms below and above the gum line. It is rough and porous and can lead to receding gums and gum disease. It must be removed with special tools in the dentist's office.
If left unchecked, tartar can eventually cover your teeth and cause your gums to recede to dangerous levels, resulting in periodontal disease. This can have severe dental and overall implications for your health that include; bleeding gums, infections, mobile teeth, foul breath, and tooth decay.
Tartar Doesn't Come Off By Itself – Trust Our Hygienist To Do It. Posted March 23, 2018 . You can brush away plaque before it hardens into tartar, but allowing plaque to sit for 48 hours or longer ensures that it will stay on your teeth as tartar—also called dental calculus.
Most plaque hardens within 48 hours of formation, and within several days it will become so hard that it is almost impossible to remove. This hard substance is tartar and the only way to remove it is to see your dentist for a professional scraping of your teeth.
The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.
Tartar breaking off teeth will leave a sharp spot behind. It might be tempting to break the leftover tartar by ourselves, but it can damage gums and teeth. Thus, we should avoid removing the sharp tartar on our own. Instead, we must immediately inform our dentists and visit them for proper treatment.
The best way to remove the build-up of plaque and tartar on your teeth is by brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Daily flossing and using an antiseptic mouthwash will help to keep bacteria at bay in hard-to-reach areas.
The short answer is yes! There's something about that fresh feeling after a dental cleaning that leaves your teeth smooth and polished. You might also notice that your teeth appear whiter and your smile a little brighter after a routine cleaning.
The process of tartar removal may or may not be painful and is dependent on several factors. If you have sensitive teeth or diseases like gingivitis or periodontitis, removing tartar will be somewhat painful.
Tartar build-up can start to damage teeth within only a few months. The earlier tartar is removed, the better. If you develop periodontitis because of your tartar, gaps can form between the tooth and gums.
Some people may find that their teeth feel looser after having the treatment. This is because removing the tartar from the pockets between the gums and teeth creates a gap between the two, which can cause the teeth to feel loose. Over time, the gums should reattach to the teeth, making the teeth feel more secure.
Signs of Tartar Buildup
Tartar feels like a rough substance in the mouth that brushing alone will not remove. When tartar appears below the gumline, it can cause raised swellings that may bleed. Buildup above the gumline is yellow or tan and grows larger if not removed.
Signs of Tartar Build-Up
Plaque is easily spotted by its pale yellow color that covers your teeth, but it can also be colorless at times. Additionally, once it hardens, tartar feels like a crusty blanket on teeth. Foods and drinks can easily stain tartar deposits, such as coffee which can stain your teeth brown.
Tartar may be removed at home with regular brushing and flossing or with a water flosser. Oil pulling — using coconut oil or olive oil — may also help remove tartar at home. These methods may be effective at removing tartar; however, a dentist can remove tartar in a more timely manner.
A symptom that can help you know if you have tartar on your teeth, even if it is not in the visible part, is halitosis or bad breath . This is because dental tartar usually smells bad, so you should keep in mind that a bad smell problem in the mouth may be related to tartar.
Myth 3: Cleaning causes gaps between the teeth.
Scaling doesn't create new spaces or gaps among teeth. It has already been created by calculus deposits and loss of bone support. The spaces had earlier been filled by debris so were not visible.
If you take the broken piece out to observe it, you will notice it is yellow/brown in colour and very brittle, so much so that it will disintegrate into a powdery substance upon applying pressure. This will confirm the fact that it was a piece of tartar. There is not a lot to be concerned about at this stage.
Your dentist has a number of instruments to get rid of tartar including hand scalers and ultrasonic devices. Tartar removal can feel uncomfortable as tartar can hide between the teeth and under the gums but it always leaves your teeth feeling fresh and healthy.
If you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, and suffer from bone loss, inflammation, and/or tartar has accumulated beneath the gumline, then the hygienist will need to clean 'deeper' below the gumline, and this is often known as a dental deep cleaning.
You May Damage Your Enamel
However, the tartar isn't the only thing you may remove. Your tooth's enamel is under that tartar, and even though it is the hardest substance in the human body, it can be easily scratched with sharp tartar removal tools.
You may notice the teeth feel 'sharp' after cleaning. This usually is because the tongue has been accustomed to the feeling of the plaque or tartar filling the gaps between the teeth. You may notice 'black triangles' or gaps between the teeth. This will be more evident if you have gum recession or bone loss.
Clean using Baking soda– A mixture of baking soda and salt is an effective home remedy for dental calculus removal. Brushing your teeth with baking soda and salt softens the calculus, making it easy to remove. The mixture should smoothly be scrubbed on the teeth by using a toothbrush.