Even professionals have some plaque in their mouths. As plaque sits on your teeth, the bacteria begin to feast on leftover food particles, which forms an acid that is corrosive to your teeth.
Eventually, the sticky plaque begins to harden into tartar or calculus, which is far more difficult to remove than plaque and can be irritating to your teeth and gums.
How to Remove Tartar
Once tartar is formed it can only be removed by a dental professional. Dental professionals perform a process called scaling to remove the tartar. Scaling involves a special tool to scrape the tartar off of your teeth.
There are tools available for at-home purchase, but it’s important that you don’t attempt to scale teeth on your own. Without professional training, you can cause serious damage to your teeth and gum tissue.
How to Prevent Tartar
Since only a trained professional can safely remove tartar from your smile, your best bet is to prevent the tartar from forming. This starts with keeping the plaque buildup in your mouth at a minimum.
Brush for at least two minutes twice a day. That two-minute time frame is important. It gives the fluoride that is inside your toothpaste time to penetrate your teeth. This allows you to get all of the strengthening benefits your toothpaste offers.
Floss daily. 40% of your teeth’s surfaces are located in between your teeth, and no matter what types of claims your toothbrush, paste, or mouthwash makes, it will not clear out the plaque from in between your teeth. Plus, the areas along your gum line and between your teeth are great places for tartar to hang out, which results in irritated gums.
Cut the sweets. Limit the amount of sugary and starchy foods you eat during the day. The bacteria in your mouth thrive on these types of foods.
Visit your dentist. Make it into your Colorado Springs dentist office every six months. Your dentist will take X-rays to make sure you don’t have problems lurking beneath the surface, and getting a dental cleaning twice a year also removes any tartar that does build-up before it becomes a serious problem