Removing Tartar: Methods, Effectiveness & Safety

It’s essential to remove tartar from your teeth, as it can lead to worn enamel, gum disease, and cavities. While you can prevent tartar build-up at home, you can’t remove it yourself. Your dentist will need to remove it with scraping tools.

Is Tartar Different Than Plaque?

You may notice that your teeth change a little between your visits to the dentist. They may become off-white or stained, develop areas of darker deposits, or have a different appearance on the back compared to the front. This is a normal process of tartar build-up, which dentists call calculus. Even though it is normal for most people to develop these deposits between cleanings, it does indicate that you should schedule that cleaning with your dentist.

Tartar, or calculus, develops over time from plaque, which is a clear, sticky film that develops regularly on the surface of your teeth. Plaque often contains bacteria that feed on leftovers from your food and drink that may be found in your mouth, and secrete acids to change the delicate chemical balance on your teeth and gums. This can lead to sensitivity in your teeth and gums, worn enamel, and eventually cavities and gum disease.

Regular brushing, flossing, and other oral care procedures at home help to reduce plaque build-up in your mouth, but you will still need to see your dentist for routine cleaning.

Can I Remove Tartar at Home?

Some people are more prone to tartar build-up than others, which may mean you experience gum disease or cavities more often, need to visit your dentist for more cleanings, or even need special treatment to reduce infections in your mouth. This can be very frustrating, especially if you do your best to maintain good oral health at home.

Because so many people struggle with regular dental appointments or needing extra cleanings, there are tartar removal kits that you can allegedly use at home. These may include dental tools, which are dangerous to use on yourself, especially without proper dental training.

Other kits may offer “natural” remedies that claim to remove tartar, but they actually reduce plaque build-up the same way that regular brushing and flossing will. Some home tartar “remedies” can put you at greater risk of gum disease and damage to your teeth by increasing the acidity in your mouth, cracking your teeth, or impacting your gumline.

You should never try to self-clean tartar at home. Although a twice-daily oral hygiene routine is important for reducing plaque and tartar build-up, tartar must be removed by a trained dentist.

How Will My Dentist Remove Tartar From My Teeth?

Between once and twice per year, your dentist will clean your teeth. This is a routine part of many dentist visits. Sometimes, though, your dentist may notice that you have a build-up of tartar, which requires a deeper cleaning, called a scale and polish.

The scale and polish is a common type of deep cleaning that a dentist or dental hygienist can perform. During a scale and polish, your dentist will:

• Use special scraping tools to remove tough areas of tartar build-up.

• Polish your teeth to remove any stains or thinner areas of tartar build-up.

• Apply topical anesthetic if your gums or teeth are sensitive to scraping instruments.

It is possible you will need more than one scale and polish treatment. If you have extensive tartar or calculus build-up, you may need additional types of deep cleaning like root planing or debridement. Your dentist will discuss these further types of cleaning with you as necessary.

If you regularly visit your dentist for check-ups and cleanings, you typically will only need the occasional scale and polish. Your dentist will usually not recommend another visit for at least six months.

Preventing Tartar Build-Up at Home

The most important way to keep your mouth healthy and reduce the amount of plaque in your mouth, which might turn into tartar build-up, is with regular brushing and flossing. Dentists recommend brushing at least twice per day with a soft-bristled toothbrush.

Here are some other common recommendations for good oral hygiene:

• Make sure the toothbrush you use fits in your mouth and reaches all areas, including behind your molars, easily.

• Brush all tooth surfaces in gentle circles for at least two minutes.

• Replace your toothbrush ever three to four months.

• Use a recommended toothpaste with fluoride.

• Use dental floss to remove food and plaque from between the teeth.

• Use a recommended mouthwash or rinse.

If you need additional help reducing plaque and tartar build-up, you can also consider these options for healthier teeth:

The steps above can be good additions to your regular oral care routine, but they should not replace brushing and flossing at least twice per day.

Preventative Efforts & Regular Dentist Visits Combined Reduce Tartar Build-Up

Since tartar is caused by plaque build-up over time, it is not possible or safe to remove this substance from your teeth at home. Your dentist and dental hygienist have specific types of deep cleaning methods that are safe and effective. You may only need this treatment once in a while to ensure your mouth is as healthy as possible.

Ask your dentist about the best oral care routine for you to practice at home, if you should consider adding additional steps like brushing with baking soda, and how often you need regular versus deep cleanings. Keep up with your dentist visits and practice prevention at home to best reduce tartar build-up.