Tartar is a hardened mass that forms on the plane of the teeth, i.e. lime deposits on the teeth. Despite the fact that the lime is white, the tartar is quite dark. This is due to the fact that its composition includes food debris, dead cells, bacteria, salts of phosphorus, iron and calcium. The beginning of the formation of tartar is plaque, consisting of food debris, bacteria and mucus, which sticks it all together into a solid mass.
First of all, tartar settles in places where viruses accumulate, in those areas of the teeth where there is no need for self-cleaning when chewing food. After the impregnation of the deposit with saliva, which leads to the formation of a solid mass of tartar. As a rule, the formation of tartar lasts from 4.5 to 6 months, then it reaches the maximum level determined for each person. It is not often that tartar appears in teenage kids, with age its number increases, especially with poor oral hygiene.
Tartar is deposited on the necks of the teeth, it can also cover part of the crown and root. But it can also form on dentures if they are not properly cared for. The following causes of tartar formation can be distinguished:
- a person has a metabolic disorder, primarily salt;
- chewing is done with only one side of the jaw (left or right);
- soft food prevails in the human diet;
- use of low-quality toothbrushes and pastes;
- a person brushes their teeth irregularly or brushes them incorrectly.
Another reason for the occurrence of tartar can be called the wrong position of the teeth and their rough surface. The first symptoms of tartar are called itching and bleeding of the gums, bad breath. All this can lead to damage to all tissues surrounding the tooth. And if left untreated, the teeth will begin to loosen and fall out. If you carefully look at your teeth in the mirror, then approximately 80% of people will see dark spots on them. If the spots are located on the chewing plane, then they have nothing to do with tartar. But dark stains on the inside and outside of the tooth are tartar. It is usually located near the gum. Tartar is divided into supragingival and subgingival (depending on the ratio with the edge of the gums). Supragingival calculus is visible to the naked eye. It is white or yellowish in color clay or solid consistency. When exposed to a special tool, it is easily separated from the plane of the tooth. Subgingival calculus is traditionally hard and dense and is only visible to the dentist with special instruments. It has a greenish-black or dark brown color, fits snugly to the plane of the tooth root. To check if you have problems with your teeth, you can put the following experiment. Take a cotton swab and soak it in Lugol’s solution, then wipe all your teeth with it. If you have tartar and plaque, they will show up. To avoid periodontitis, which will turn into tartar, you will need to visit the dentist as soon as possible. To prevent tartar, you will need the ability to properly brush your teeth, the presence of good toothpaste and a quality brush, and regular visits to the dentist. You can also use dental floss, because most often tartar appears in the interdental spaces; toothpicks; mouth rinses; brushes for cleaning the tongue. Treatment of tartar consists in its removal. This procedure will need to be carried out in six months. Stages of tartar removal:
- removal of tartar and plaque (using ultrasound and hand tools);
- teeth grinding;
- teeth polishing.
Instead of polishing and grinding, a protective paste can be applied to the teeth. When removing tartar, it is advisable to use anesthesia.