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Calculus or tartar is a hard, yellowish deposit on teeth. It is composed of mineral salts, food, and other debris that has hardened over time. Tartar cannot be brushed off. It has a rough surface, attracting more debris and food particles, causing a repeating cycle of tartar formation and buildup.

Periodontal disease is a disease of the tissues that support the teeth in the mouth. It occurs when the body’s immune system cannot clear the mouth of the bacteria and toxins. If plaque is not removed, it will eventually accumulate and harden into dental calculus (or tartar).

Calculus can become hard and yellow brownish covering over the crown of the tooth. Calculus can also cover the gum so that the plaque beneath the gum-line cannot be cleaned. The plaque beneath the gum-line is the real cause of periodontal disease. As the plaque accumulates and the bacteria multiply, the pockets around each tooth become deeper and more painful.

Calculus comes in two forms. Supragingival (above the gumline) calculus is the visible deposit that forms on the surface of the teeth. Subgingival (below the gumline) tartar forms in pockets between teeth and gums. Subgingival calculus is more harmful as it facilitates faster growth of plaque.

What Causes Tartar Buildup?

When plaque accumulates at excessive levels, it hardens and turns into tartar buildup. Because tartar buildup bonds strongly to enamel, it can only be removed by a dental professional.

How Do You Know if You Have Tartar Buildup?

Unlike plaque, which is a colorless film of bacteria, tartar is a mineral buildup that’s fairly easy to see if above the gumline. The most common sign of tartar is a yellow or brown color to teeth or gums. The only way for sure to detect tartar - and to remove it - is to see your dentist.

Dental Calculus Removal Procedure

Dental health is an important part of your general health. Whatever your age, you can and should have healthy teeth. Correct dental care can help you keep your teeth healthy for a lifetime. Scaling is one such procedure that keeps your gums healthy and firm. It is a procedure used to remove infected deposits like plaque, calculus and stains from the tooth surfaces. Scaling is a safe and routine procedure and does not damage the tooth surface in any way. It must be done by a dental professional.

Dental Technicians are only allowed to remove supragingival calculus. Supragingival calculus is defined as calculus above the gumline. Subgingival calculus removal and root planing are only to be performed by a dentist or dental hygienist.

Scaling the teeth removes calculus by mechanically fracturing the deposits off each tooth. It is relatively simple to remove large deposits of supragingival calculus, but removing the smaller pieces that are left behind when the larger pieces fracture off takes practice to ensure the tooth surface is calculus-free.

Why do You Need a Professional Cleaning?

Professional cleaning and deep tooth cleaning removes plaque, calculus (tartar), and stain from your teeth. The cleaning is done by a dental professional in the dental office and we provide education in proper care of the teeth and gums.

Procedure for Scaling - Deep Cleaning

When scaling and polishing is done, essentially this is a deep clean of your mouth. A special tool is used to get rid of the hard build up of calculus (tartar) then follow up by giving the teeth a thorough polish. The areas concentreated on are just below the gum line, behind your teeth and in the gaps in between them, as these are the regions commonly missed when we brush our teeth. Scaling and polishing helps prevent gum disease.

At our dental clinic, our center uses the EMS Piezon technology. The EMS Piezon unit’s small tip and high frequency scaling tool along with its water spray technology delivers higher patient comfort and makes the procedure for the removal of calculus (tartar) more time-effective. The EMS Peizon enables a more gentle and effective scale within a shorter treatment timeframe than conventional scaling tools. The unit is also designed for complete sterilization, a concept our clinic emphasizes on.

Tartar Control Toothpastes

Most studies suggest that tartar control toothpastes do not remove tartar. They help prevent tartar (hardened plaque that may cause gum disease) from forming. The active ingredient in tartar-control toothpastes is usually pyrophosphate. Some clinical trials on these toothpastes have shown that they reduce tartar as much as 36 percent. They do not reduce the tartar that forms below the gum line, which is the area where tartar can cause gum disease. This is why it is important for your dentist to perform regular professional cleanings.

Tartar Prevention

Tartar is easy enough to prevent, but once the damage begins it is difficult to remove. If left unchecked tartar build up can lead to cavities, gum disease, and even tooth loss. Contact a dentist in your area today for tartar removal, and protect your mouth from the scourge of tartar and gum disease.

A cosmetic procedure like teeth whitening can give you the great looks, self-confidence, and motivation to take care of your oral health. We’re all for that! But we’d like to remind you that only natural tooth structure will lighten. If you have calculus on your teeth, having them cleaned first will achieve the best results.

You won’t always be able to tell if you have calculus, so you really need to go to the dentist to get your teeth checked regularly. Calculus is too hard to remove yourself with a toothbrush, and so it needs to be removed properly by a dentist or hygienist using special cleaning tools. You can help prevent calculus forming by keeping your teeth clean.

The best way to prevent the build up of calculus is through twice daily toothbrushing and flossing and cleaning visits based on a schedule recommended by your dental health care provider. Calculus accumulates more easily in some individuals, requiring more frequent brushing, and dental visits. When it accumulates excessively, natural tooth structure may become hidden by it.

There are also some harmful habits that facilitate the accumulation of tartar. Those include smoking, excessive drinking of hard alcohol, using some per-oral drugs etc. Most dentists agree that a once per year visit to remove any accumulated tartar is a must, as even the tiniest quantities are harmful to the gums.

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