Cleaning tartar from the teeth is something that many people overlook. Many patients think that brushing their teeth is enough to get rid of it. this is not that easy because you need so much more to clean dental calculus than regular brushing and flossing.
Let’s learn more about t what is tartar exactly and how to clean it to avoid gum disease and have good oral health.
What is tartar?
To understand how tartar buildup it is important to know what is plaque. Plaque is a thin and sticky film made out of certain bacteria and food particles that covers the teeth and if it is not cleaned it damages the tooth enamel. Starchy and sugary foods increase the plaque buildup
Tartar is basically an accumulation of plaque that after some time becomes a calcified mineral that buildup up in the gum line. Tartar is also known as dental calculus, and leaving it like that in your mouth can lead to many oral health problems.
Tartar is easy to spot because you will see a yellow line below the teeth and above the gum line.
Removing plaque at home once it became tartar is not possible. Never try to clean it by yourself, you can end up damaging your teeth or hurting yourself. The only way to remove tartar is by visiting your dentist regularly for professional dental cleanings.
What we can do at home is prevent tartar buildup and the way to do it is by having an excellent oral hygiene routine. There are also some natural remedies to improve our oral health and prevent tartar buildup.
How can tartar buildup affect oral health?
If you do not practice good oral hygiene, tartar appears in your teeth. It can lead to a lot of dental diseases like tooth decay, dental cavities, gingivitis, and more. It could lead to tooth loss in the worst-case scenario.
As tartar buildup solidifies in the gum line it makes oral hygiene more difficult. It becomes more complicated to clean between the teeth and remove plaque completely. If you don’t get a professional cleaning to remove tartar it can cause gum disease, excessive bleeding when brushing, tooth sensitivity, pain, and other health problems.
How is tartar formed on the teeth?
Sugary and starchy foods are the main reason behind the tartar build-up and that is why brushing your teeth is the main solution to prevent plaque and tartar buildup. Choose fresh fruits over sugary foods to have a healthy smile.
Some patients are prone to develop tartar faster than usual, and this could be because of their diet. As mentioned before, tartar is a calculus formation, which means that you may have been ingesting too much calcium.
Dairy products have tons of calcium so you may need to reduce their consumption. Opt for other vitamins and protein to follow a more balanced diet. Also, do not forget to drink lots of water to stay well hydrated. It is recommended to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
How to clean tartar buildup?
As stated above it is not recommended to try to remove tartar at home. You need a good dental cleaning to remove tartar accumulated in your teeth. That is the main reason why you should schedule an appointment with a dentist or dental hygienist every 6 months.
Regular checkups and cleaning will help you avoid this problem. In fact, the reason why many patients have tartar buildup is that they don’t visit the dentist regularly.
Depending on how much plaque and tartar buildup dental hygienists can use a different technique to remove tartar. In some cases just pressured water and regular tools, like regular cleaning, will be enough to solve the problem and leave your teeth clean. More complicated cases will require other methods.
Which tools are used to remove tartar?
The most effective one is a tool that vibrates to remove all the calculus from your teeth. It also uses water with pressure so it doesn’t overheat and cleans at the same time. When the tartar buildup has become severe, your dental hygienist will perform a deep cleaning to also remove tartar from your gums.
Professional cleanings are the way you will be saving your mouth from gums disease and even periodontal disease. It is important that you visit your dentist at least once a year. You can contact us right now to make your appointment with us at Dental Solutions in Los Algodones, Mexico.
How to avoid tartar buildup
To avoid the accumulation of tartar in your teeth you need to practice good dental hygiene, brushing and flossing are the keys to a smile free of tartar. Brush your teeth at least 3 times a day, especially after every meal. Use a soft bristle toothbrush to avoid damaging your tooth enamel and gums.
The best technique to brush your teeth is with vertical strokes. You can complement it with horizontal and vertical motions too. Using fluoride toothpaste and an electric toothbrush can help you be sure you are removing plaque from all your mouth.
If you are prone to tartar buildup your dentist could recommend a tartar control toothpaste to help you have healthy teeth.
Remember to be slow and gentle to avoid damaging your gums. Brushing hard will only harm your gums, and cause inflammation and bleeding, which can lead to gum disease.
After brushing use dental floss and an antiseptic mouthwash to finish up cleaning. Getting rid of the food debris stuck between your teeth is key to avoiding tartar in your teeth. Do this every day to keep a good dental hygiene routine.
Natural remedies to prevent tartar buildup
Tartar removal products to use at home can’t actually remove tartar and could even harm the mouth. Visiting the dentist is the only way to remove tartar build-up and ensure our oral health. But there are some things we can do at home, other than brushing and flossing, to prevent tartar.
Baking soda can help you remove plaque build-up to prevent tartar and gum disease. You just need to put some baking soda on a wet toothbrush and very carefully brush your teeth.
It is only recommended to use baking soda on your teeth once every month since doing this can harm your gums.
Some other remedies like using lemon essential oils or an orange peel can help you remove plaque-causing bacteria because they have antimicrobial properties.
But remember that the most important thing to do is brush your teeth after every meal.
Saying goodbye to bad habits prevents gum disease
On the other hand, quitting alcohol and cigarettes can help to avoid tartar because bacteria and germs help its formation you need to keep your mouth clean.
Smoking especially is really unhygienic for your dental health. Many patients with this problem tend to be heavy smokers so if you are in this spectrum it is a good idea to quit now.
Make an appointment with Dental Solutions
Making an appointment with us is quick and easy. Use the contact form above by clicking the button and filling it in with your info.
You will receive an email with an estimate and then you can make an appointment as soon as possible. Our patient coordinator will help you every step of the way so you can come safely to the clinic.
Our prices for dental treatment are 50% less than the United States and Canada. You do not want to miss the chance to save money on dental, make your appointment now!