Tartar makes plaque more difficult to remove and creates a shield for bacteria. Plaque attacks. The acids in plaque remove minerals in your tooth's hard, outer enamel. This erosion causes tiny openings or holes in the enamel — the first stage of cavities.
When plaque builds up on your teeth, it eats away the enamel, causing cavities and decay. Plaque buildup can even cause gingivitis or severe periodontal (gum) disease. If the plaque becomes tartar, its bacteria can cause bad breath and turn your teeth yellow.
Holes in teeth are caused by dental cavities, which are permanently damaged areas in the enamel (the hard-outside surface of your teeth). Cavities may also be called dental caries or tooth decay. Anyone with teeth can get cavities, from small children to older adults.
Cavities don't just form overnight. It can take months, or possibly even years, before the decay process advances to the point where a tooth requires attention.
Tartar can make it harder to brush and floss like you should. This can lead to cavities and tooth decay. Any tartar that forms above your gum line could be bad for you. That's because the bacteria in it can irritate and damage your gums.
You May Damage Your Enamel
However, the tartar isn't the only thing you may remove. Your tooth's enamel is under that tartar, and even though it is the hardest substance in the human body, it can be easily scratched with sharp tartar removal tools.
If plaque is not removed on a regular basis, such as through brushing and flossing, it hardens within 24 to 72 hours and becomes tartar. The tartar buildup can make it difficult to brush and floss properly, leading to cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.
The process of tartar removal may or may not be painful and is dependent on several factors. If you have sensitive teeth or diseases like gingivitis or periodontitis, removing tartar will be somewhat painful.
Plaque buildup that hardens into tartar can cause more than just cavities. It can cause tooth discoloration and sensitivity as well as gum recession and periodontal disease. To reduce plaque buildup and tartar from forming, make sure you are brushing and flossing daily.
Tartar Doesn't Come Off By Itself – Trust Our Hygienist To Do It. Posted March 23, 2018 . You can brush away plaque before it hardens into tartar, but allowing plaque to sit for 48 hours or longer ensures that it will stay on your teeth as tartar—also called dental calculus.
Occasionally, very small cavities can heal on their own. However, this is only a possibility in the early stages of degradation. Tooth decay can be slowed or stopped by good brushing and flossing, as well as fluoride treatments.
Enamel can repair itself by using minerals from saliva, and fluoride from toothpaste or other sources. But if the tooth decay process continues, more minerals are lost. Over time, the enamel is weakened and destroyed, forming a cavity. A cavity is permanent damage that a dentist has to repair with a filling.
Can a decayed tooth be saved? With the right dental professionals by your side, even severely decayed teeth can be restored. Whether you require dental crowns, fillings, or a combination of treatments, No Gaps Dental can help restore your smile and confidence.
Your dentist and dental hygienist have been specifically trained for professional plaque and tartar removal, which may actually help lighten the stains on your teeth as well, so if you're worried about unwanted build-up on your teeth you should make an appointment.
When tartar appears above the gum line, it may be brown, tan, or yellow and often grows to cover larger areas of the teeth when not removed. When tartar builds up below the gum line, it may be black or brown and may lead to periodontal disease, bone loss, receding gums, and tooth loss.
Tartar can make it difficult to brush and floss like you should. This can lead to cavities and tooth decay. Any tartar that forms above your gum line could be bad for you. That's because the bacteria in it can irritate and damage your gums.
If the dentist or dental hygienist spots tartar on the surface of the teeth, they will remove it with an instrument called a scaler. A scaler is a device that has a hook on the end of it, and it is used to remove tartar above and below the gum line.
When plaque builds up on teeth and isn't properly removed it forms into a hard substance known as tartar. Initially, tartar above the gum line has a yellowish hue, however, if left untreated it will turn into green, brown or black tartar. Tartar below the gum line is black in color.
When plaque is left untreated, it hardens and discolors, forming into tartar. Tartar is terrible for the teeth and gums. It is not only unsightly, but leads to the decay of teeth by building up and growing bacteria which eat away at the lining of the teeth known as enamel.
Since the goal of a dental cleaning is to remove layers of plaque or tartar build-up, the protective layer is often removed as well. As a result, these patients may experience increased sensitivity after their cleaning.
In most cases, your gum tissue will not come back once you've lost it. It's gone for good. However, this doesn't mean you're completely out of luck. With the right periodontal treatment, you may be able to halt the progression of gum recession.
If not removed, the tartar will eventually become calcified, which is to say it will harden into a brittle layer. This hardened tartar is known as dental calculus. Bits of this calcified tartar may break off and enter the digestive system and further on into the person's blood.
Removing tartar can be painful if there is a large amount of tartar, if the gums are inflamed and / or the teeth are tender. Anesthesia is used whenever the patient feels the need for it. Anesthetic is applied to the gums using a topical anesthetic or a more effective local anesthetic.
However, if a tooth is severely damaged, your dentist may not be able to save it. In these cases, they will normally recommend that the tooth be removed. Dentists may recommend removal in the following circumstances: Dental injury resulting in a cracked or fractured tooth or root.
If the deepest layers of the pulp become infected, it may be too late to save the tooth. In addition, if a large portion of the tooth is lost and a crown cannot be placed on what's left, root canal treatment is no longer a viable solution.