According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older in the U.S. have some form of periodontal disease. This percentage is even higher within older age brackets.
Tartar buildup can contribute to the development of periodontal disease, so you need to get rid of it regularly. Otherwise, in severe cases, you may suffer from gum swelling, bleeding, and even your teeth falling out.
Learn about plaque and tartar, what they look like, how to prevent their buildup, and when to schedule a dental cleaning with your local Scottsdale dentist by reading on.
What’s Plaque?
Plaque is a thin, sticky, colorless film of bacteria that forms on your teeth. You may have trouble seeing it unless you don’t brush regularly. However, you may feel a “fuzzy” sensation with your tongue; that’s plaque. Everyone gets it no matter what, as it forms after bacteria, saliva, and food mix when you eat.
Plaque contains approximately 1000 species of bacteria. Not all are harmful, but the ones that produce acids when you consume food or drinks that are high in sugar, carbohydrates, and starches.
The acid damages enamel, your teeth’s thin outer layer. This can lead to tooth decay and other severe oral diseases if left alone. Fortunately, you can easily remove them with regular brushing and flossing.
Causes of Plaque
You will almost always have plaque after you eat. However, certain foods will cause more of it to form, including:
- Candies and chocolate
- Milk
- Juice
- Soft drinks
- Fruit (though some help prevent it)
- Bread
- Pasta
This is because of the bacteria that make up plaque feed on sugars and carbohydrates. The acid they release is what they use to break down these energy sources, similar to how our stomachs release acid to break down food.
Plaque doesn’t cause any symptoms most of the time. But if you don’t practice good, regular oral hygiene, it may cause chronic bad breath. It may also turn into a more severe problem: tartar.
What’s Tartar?
If you don’t brush and floss daily, plaque will stay on your teeth for too long. Combined with the minerals in your saliva, it can calcify into a hardened layer over your teeth and just below your gumline. This is calculus, otherwise known as tartar.
Tartar looks like a yellow discoloration in its early stages and will turn green or brown if left untreated. Below the gumline, it turns black.
A buildup of tartar will act as a protective layer for the bacteria on your teeth. It will make cleaning them more difficult, though you may not notice it at first.
Complications
Over time, tartar will cause your gums to become tender or swollen. The irritation and swelling can lead to gingivitis, an early stage of periodontal disease. Its symptoms include:
- Red, swollen gums
- Tender gums
- Gums bleed when you floss or brush
You can still easily reverse gingivitis by having your dentist in Scottsdale perform a professional dental cleaning and through continuous oral hygiene. But you need to set an appointment as soon as possible. Schedule a dental exam if you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above.
Left alone, gingivitis can progress to a more severe form of periodontal disease, periodontitis. Its symptoms are:
- Swollen and tender gums
- Bright red or purplish gums
- Gums bleed easily
- Pus between gums and teeth
- Gums pull away from teeth
- Spaces developing between teeth
- Loose teeth
- Painful chewing
- A change in your bite
Additionally, bacteria may gain entry into your bloodstream when you have periodontitis. This may increase the risk of heart and lung disease. This condition may require surgery to treat, so it’s best not to let it get to that point in the first place.
It’s also possible for cavities to cause periodontal disease. In that case, you may need to have it treated with a teeth cleaning and restoration service like dental fillings.
Prevention is always better than treatment. Both gingivitis and periodontitis are entirely avoidable with good oral hygiene.
The Differences
While tartar may seem like just a more severe form of plaque, there are a few key differences between them.
Buildup Process and Composition
Plaque is an accumulation of saliva, food residue, and bacteria. It’s 80-90% water. Bacteria comprise 70% of the dry weight, while the rest is polysaccharides, a carbohydrate, and glycoproteins.
Tartar results from the mineralization of bacteria in plaque and proteins in saliva, but this process also makes it chemically different. It’s made of calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, and magnesium phosphate.
Appearance and Feel
Plaque is colorless and difficult to see. It feels fuzzy when you touch it with your tongue. Meanwhile, tartar is yellow or brown and has a rough or crusty texture.
Removal Process
This is the most crucial difference. Compared to plaque, tartar is far tougher and can’t be brushed or flossed away. You need a dental professional to remove tartar with a cleaning service.
How to Prevent Tartar Buildup
You may not be able to get tartar off your teeth, but you can remove plaque. It takes 24 to 72 hours for it to turn into tartar, so you can easily prevent buildup with good oral hygiene.
Follow these tips to fight plaque and tartar and prevent periodontal disease and teeth staining.
Commit to a Routine
You should brush twice a day. Brushing should be about two minutes each. Consider investing in an electric toothbrush as well, as it will be much more effective at removing plaque than a manual toothbrush.
Use Specially Formulated Toothpaste
Some toothpaste is better at removing plaque than others:
- Tartar-control toothpaste is specially formulated to prevent or stop tartar buildup. It may even dissolve the tartar, though you would still need a dentist to remove everything.
- Toothpaste with baking soda is slightly abrasive, and a 2008 meta-analysis of five clinical studies show that this makes it able to remove plaque better than other toothpaste.
You should skip charcoal-infused toothpaste. Researchers found that they’re not effective at controlling tartar. They’re not even proven to be safe or suitable for teeth whitening, as opposed to what their packaging may lead you to believe.
Floss Once a Day
Flossing once a day is essential to keeping the areas between your teeth clean and preventing oral health issues. Don’t just quickly run your floss through each gap, though. A proper flossing technique allows you to remove as much plaque as possible.
Eat Healthy
Limit snacks and beverages high in sugar and carbohydrates, and clean your teeth right after having some. This will keep food away from the bacteria in your plaque so they won’t produce acids.
Ideally, you should brush, but even gargling mouthwash or water will help if you’re in a rush.
Some foods are also good for your teeth. These include fresh, crisp fruits and vegetables like apples, celery, and carrots. They help clean plaque from your teeth and contain nutrients that protect your gums from cell damage and infection.
Regular Dental Checkups
Get a dental checkup and cleaning twice a year. Your dentist can identify tartar early and remove it to prevent periodontal disease. They may recommend treatments besides cleaning if they detect any symptoms or infection.
Some people may need to visit the dentist more often. These include those with:
- Existing periodontal disease
- Dry mouth, which is usually caused by medications or aging (saliva washes food particles away)
- Conditions preventing them from completing a dental hygiene routine
Remember that a dentist visit today could lessen future visits, prevent diseases, and help you avoid more expensive treatments.
Consider Sealants
Consider getting a dental sealant if you’re prone to cavities. Dentists apply a thin, protective coat to the chewing surfaces of your molars to fill in their natural grooves and pits. This gives plaque fewer hard-to-reach places to stick to.
How Tartar Is Removed From Teeth
As mentioned above, you need to go to a dental professional to get rid of tartar. If you find you already have some, it’s best to schedule an appointment as soon as possible so that you don’t have to deal with gingivitis.
Your dentist will use a hand-held metal scaler to scrape away tartar. If they find you have an excessive amount of it and have periodontal disease, they may recommend a deep cleaning. It has two parts, scaling and root planing.
Scaling is when your dentist removes all the tartar above and below the gum line. Though the tartar is gone, there are still pockets where your gums are pulled away from your teeth.
Root planing removes the pockets. Your dentist will smooth your tooth roots to help the gums reattach. This part of the deep cleaning may take more than one visit.