What to do against tartar?
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Tartar is defined as the accumulation of plaque around the teeth, which hardens and becomes calcified. This condition prevents manual removal by brushing.
Distribution, diagnosis and clinical effect of tartar
Plaque is a bacterial mass, calcified variable hardness and yellowish brown. Its formation depends not only on the amount of plaque present, also secretion of the salivary glands.
In fact, the minerals present in saliva calcify this plaque on the teeth. Thus more scale will form in areas adjacent to the exit of the salivary glands. There will be more on facial areas of upper molars, for its proximity to the exit of parotid duct, and lingual areas of the lower incisors by the proximity to the outlet of the submandibular glands.
Plaque can be easily identified, as it is a hard mass attached to the supragingival tooth part. It is usually diagnosed clinically with a periodontal probe, locating to the best of bacterial accumulation in the subgingival part of the root. In these situations, tartar deposits could also be diagnosed radiographically.
The time required for the formation of tartar is very variable. In some people, it begins to form within two weeks since the last cleaning, and others take months.
How tartar affect teeth?
According to experts in dentistry , calculus has always shrouded viable microbial plaque, not mineralized, so it does not come into direct contact with the gingival tissues.
Accordingly, this is not a primary factor for the development of periodontitis. However, it acts as a retentive factor for the formation of plaque about the teeth. It becomes very difficult to adequately removing plaque and prevents patients to perform adequate hygiene control of his mouth.
Tartar is firmly attached to the surface of teeth and implants, using microrugosidades and surface defects. It is therefore more common in teeth restored with little polished surfaces around implants with neck exposed root surfaces uneven, small cracks or fissures in the teeth, etc.
Therefore their presence is most common in adult mouths retentive restorations or factors that favor the formation and accumulation of these mineral deposits.
Treatment of tartar
Due to its composition and consistency, it becomes impossible to remove by patients. However, it is relatively easy to remove in the dental office by a thorough prophylaxis of all tooth surfaces followed by a thorough polishing to try to delay its formation.
They should educate patients helping them to identify areas of your mouth with increased risk for developing. This way they can emphasize those areas with daily hygiene and see a dentist for proper maintenance and control of their oral health.
