How Does Tartar Form on My Teeth?

Tartar is formed from plaque. Plaque is a colorless sticky material that if left on the teeth, will harden into tartar. Tartar is a mineral deposit formed from the plaque that has sat on your teeth. Everyone gets tartar at some point, but how you take care of it at home is crucial.

If tartar is left untreated it will cause gum disease. Gum disease starts as gingivitis which is where your gums are puffy, swollen, red and bleed easily. As the gingivitis is not taken care of, it will turn into periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can result in bone loss and eventual tooth loss.

Periodontal disease is the most severe and usually this happens when someone has not been to the dentist in years (10-20 years). Tartar has built up so much that it is literally holding the teeth in place (I’ve seen this happen many times in my 10 years in the dental profession).

Gum disease is reversible just by changing your oral health habits. You will want to speak to your dentist or hygienist on how to care for your teeth when you are at your next dental appointment. Gum disease is treated at the office by having a thorough deeper cleaning than normal. This is to ensure the hygienist can get underneath the gum tissue to get rid of the tartar buildup. This usually takes two to three appointments. Your gums will feel tender for a few days but after the initial tenderness goes away your mouth will go back to being healthy as long as you take care of your teeth at home.

Periodontal disease isn’t reversible because this disease has spread to the gums and bone and unfortunately you can’t grow gums and bone back. However, you can stop the progression of the disease by having a special cleaning done called Scaling and Root Planning. (Sounds scary I know). This procedure takes four to five visits and you do have to get numb for this. The reason why is because the hygienist will have to go way down below your gum tissue by the roots to get rid of all of the tartar that has built up. The whole mouth is not done at one time, just sections. Then after you get the special cleaning you will be given instructions on what not to eat and what you need to be doing at home. They will also give you a prescription for an antimicrobial mouth rinse to use daily.

Tartar is not something that can be removed at home and can be quite serious if left untreated. Make sure you visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and make sure to ask questions about your oral health and how to keep it healthy for a lifetime. More and more people are trying to save their teeth than getting false ones.

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