Tartar

Martina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

Tartar is mineralized plaque of different colors - from white to yellow or brown to black. It can develop above or below the gum line and promotes inflammation of the gums. Removing tartar yourself is not possible, you have to go to the dentist. Read everything you need to know about the causes and treatment options for tartar.

Brief overview

What is tartar? Dental plaque that has become hard due to the storage of minerals.
Risks: Tartar promotes inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), which can develop into periodontitis. Then there is a risk of tooth loss!
Treatment: The dentist can remove tartar with suitable instruments, such as an ultrasound device and a special chisel. You shouldn't try this yourself (risk of injury!).
Prevention: brush your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day and clean the spaces between the teeth once a day (with dental floss or an interdental brush). Go to the dentist regularly.

Tartar: description and formation

Tartar is plaque hardened by stored minerals. Most adults have more or less tartar. The frequency increases with age.

Depending on the location, dentists differentiate between two types of tartar:

Supragingival tartar: above the gum line, preferably on the inside of the lower front teeth and on the outside of the upper molars. It is particularly often located near the ducts of the large salivary glands. Its color varies between white, yellow and brown. This type of tartar forms quickly, but adheres only moderately to the tooth surface.
Subgingival tartar (concrement): in the gingival pockets. It is dark brown to black in color, develops only slowly, but adheres very strongly to the teeth.

How is tartar formed?

The starting point for tartar is dental plaque. This forms mainly in the tooth neck area and in places that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush, such as the spaces between the teeth (interdental spaces). As the first step in plaque formation, a thin protein membrane (pellicle) appears on the surface of the tooth immediately after each thorough brushing. Bacteria from the oral flora gradually adhere to this, followed by food residues, saliva components, epithelial cells and polysaccharides.

These white-yellowish deposits are still water-soluble for the first one or two days and can be easily removed. After that, however, the plaque becomes harder and insoluble in water. This makes it more difficult to remove. Fermentation and metabolic processes take place under the dental plaque, in the course of which acids are formed. They loosen the tooth enamel, so that tooth decay can eventually develop. Tartar can also be a cause of bad breath.

The dental plaque can eventually turn into tartar through mineralization: Minerals from the saliva are deposited in the dental plaque and make it really hard. In sensitive people, tartar can develop from plaque that is only a few days old!

Why you should remove tartar

Although tartar itself is not pathological, it can still be harmful: the acid attack on the tooth enamel continues under the tartar. In addition, the hard deposits promote inflammation of the gums (gingivitis). If the inflammation spreads to the entire tooth support system, periodontitis develops. Therefore, you should go to the dentist regularly to have the tartar removed.

Tartar: treatment

Some patients want to remove their tartar themselves and use stiff brushes or sharp tools, for example. You can easily injure your gums, tooth enamel or oral mucosa! The hard deposits should therefore be left to the dentist. With the help of suitable dental instruments, he can remove the tartar without risking injury. For example, water-cooled ultrasound devices and various hand instruments (such as chisels or so-called scalers) are used.

The teeth feel rough after the treatment because the natural mucus layer on the tooth is also removed when the hard deposits are blown off. However, this protective layer builds up again within one to two hours.

If the patient so desires, the teeth are finally polished and any discoloration removed (for example from the consumption of coffee, tea, red wine or tobacco).

Removing tartar: cost

The health insurance companies pay their insured persons a tartar removal per year. The patient has to pay for any further removal in the same year.

Incidentally, pure tartar removal should not be confused with professional teeth cleaning. With this additional service, the dentist or his specialist staff clean the entire set of teeth and, if necessary, also remove tartar. The teeth are then polished and discolored removed. However, such professional teeth cleaning is not paid for by the statutory health insurances and some private health insurances, as it is a prophylactic measure. The patients then have to bear the costs themselves.

Prevent tartar

With good oral hygiene you can prevent the (re) formation of tartar:

Brush your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day, using either a good manual or electric toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.
Clean the interdental spaces once a day with dental floss or interdental brushes.

With these measures you can prevent plaque and thus also tartar and also prevent discoloration and tooth decay.

When should you go to the dentist?

The general rule is: Go to the dentist regularly, i.e. at least once, preferably twice a year. Only he can remove tartar.

You should make an appointment at the latest when tooth discoloration is visible. Persistent bad breath despite thorough and regular brushing of your teeth can also be an indication of tartar and is a reason for a visit to the dentist.

Tags: prevention stress menshealth