Plaque (Tartar) on Teeth - Causes and Treatment

Tartar teeth are not a harmless phenomenon that may seem at first glance, as it can deprive of a perfect smile and lead to diseases of teeth and gums.

Tartar is a strongly hardened plaque that deposits on enamel surface. Dentists say that it occurs in about 70% of humans in different stages. In this case, the earlier you notice it and take action, the easier it will be to get rid of a problem. The composition of tartar is bacteria, epithelial cells, food debris and calcium compounds. Overlaying each other, they form a solid structure covering tooth enamel, and ultimately provoke problems. As a result, a bad odor occurs in the mouth, caries develops and, if tartar has penetrated into gum, serious inflammatory processes such as gingivitis and periodontitis appear. Discoloration of teeth, irregularities on surface of teeth shows manifestation of disease. A more serious symptom is itching and bleeding gums.

Depending on place of sediment localization, experts distinguish supragingival and gingival tartar. The first is clearly visible when examining oral cavity, is a white or yellowish mass, and has a solid texture. Removal of tartar over gum doesn't present any particular difficulties and is performed in any dental clinic. Gingival tartar is very hard and has a dark brown or greenish gray color. It fits snugly to surface of lower part of tooth and is detected only when examined by a dentist with a special probe.

In order to answer frequently asked question why tartar buildup on teeth, its first necessary to determine what causes tartar in caring for oral cavity.

Causes of Tartar

The key factors and factors contributing to formation of tartar are:

• poor oral hygiene;
• poor quality or improperly selected brush or paste;
• uneven chewing: for example, only one side of the jaw;
• malocclusion;
• abundant salivation;
• taking antibiotics and other drugs that violate microflora;
• problems with metabolism;
• poor-quality installation of prostheses and dental fillings.

At initial stage, this disease doesn’t bring much concern, but if it has taken a serious development, you should contact your dentist to get correct tartar treatment. To get rid of plaque, it’s enough to visit specialist every six months and do professional dental cleaning, which is considered the best prevention.

Tartar Treatment

Depending on wishes and possibilities of a patient, a dentist can offer a variety of cleaning methods that will help fight for health and beauty of a smile.

• Mechanical cleaning. Using tools, a specialist cleans deposits manually. The process is time consuming and laborious, the main thing in it is the professionalism of a dentist and the right choice of instruments, since they must be ideally suited to a patient.
• Brushing your teeth with a laser. The procedure takes place quite quickly and eliminates tartar between teeth, but it’s expensive.
• Ultrasound. A special machine helps to remove plaque as quickly as a laser, but at the same time it’s cheaper. Like mechanical cleaning, they may lead to temporary bleeding of gums and soreness, if you have not cleaned plaque for a long time or it is deeply embedded.
• Air Flow brushing procedure. Getting rid of bad tartar on teeth occurs under pressure of air and special aqueous solution containing soda in its composition. Due to procedure, you can get rid of plaque and at the same time to whiten your teeth for 1-2 tones. Air Flow gently and smooth cleans teeth, so it’s often used when removing braces, prosthetics, implantation and teeth whitening.

It all depends on you__ how to clean tartar on teeth__, but whatever method you choose, after procedure it’s important to strictly follow rules of teeth care. After removal of tartar, you must:

• change the toothbrush to a new one (it’s desirable that it has soft, fine bristles);
• apply special means to reduce sensitivity of teeth;
• closely monitor hygiene (purchase dental floss, an interdental brush and an irrigator);
• temporarily refuse coloring food and drinks (at least for 3 days), as well as smoking (at least a day);
• Eat more solid foods (it serves as an excellent preventative of plaque).

Those who care about oral hygiene should remember that timely visits to a dentist will guarantee health and prevent formation of dental plaque on teeth and growth of dental illnesses.