Tartar is a yellowish-brown, mineralised organic structure that affects the surface of teeth and hard surfaces in the mouth. Commonly known as “calculus”, tartar is actually the result of the mineralisation process of plaque.
Plaque doesn't spare anyone! It can appear in children with milk teeth, adolescents, adults, and even the elderly with prosthetic appliances.
It forms on all hard surfaces in the oral cavity, on crowns, on fillings, and on dental appliances.
Tartar generally appears in areas bathed abundantly by saliva, i.e. on the lower incisors and the buccal surfaces of the upper posterior teeth.
The lower teeth suffer more from tartar deposits because the saliva produced by the sublingual glands is richer in salts.
Initial, incompletely mineralised tartar is soft in consistency, is removed quite easily, and its colour is yellowish-white. As mineral sediments are deposited, it calcifies and is pigmented, taking on a brownish-maroon colour.
This mineralised deposit presents in two clinical forms: supragingival calculus and subgingival calculus.
Causes leading to the formation of dental tartar
The appearance of tartar deposits is a complex process favoured by poor oral hygiene, tooth positioning, the presence of interdental cavities, saliva characteristics, and smoking. However, there are also numerous conditions that lead to the formation of unsightly calculus, including bronchial asthma and cystic fibrosis.
Thoroughly cleaning your teeth after every meal by brushing is an operation that removes plaque and reduces the risk of developing tartar.
Incorporating mouthwash and dental floss into your daily oral hygiene routine are further measures that help maintain good oral hygiene and significantly reduce the risk of developing tartar. Furthermore, eating antioxidant-rich foods containing substances with bacteriostatic properties supports good oral health.
It should be noted that these measures are not sufficient to combat tartar, as it is an organic formation that undergoes permanent changes. Complete removal of unsightly plaque from the oral cavity is only achieved in dental practices through specific measures.
The operation to remove mineralised plaque from hard surfaces in the oral cavity is known as scaling.
Dental scaling, the effective treatment for tartar removal
Dental calculus removal in specialist clinics is an operation that needs to be carried out periodically. Conversely, mineralised plaque deposits affect gum and bone structure and can lead to the formation of dental caries, in the most serious cases even leading to the onset of periodontal disease.
Descaling is a simple, non-invasive procedure that removes mineralised plaque. Following this procedure, the teeth are left smooth, and the hard surfaces are polished and cleaned. This process can be performed manually or mechanically.
Manual scaling is indicated for the removal of subgingival tartar; it is a precise method that effectively removes mineral deposits from interdental spaces. Specific instruments are used in this process, which act under the pressure applied by the specialist, a fact that can create some discomfort.
Manual scaling can cause gum bleeding, but this effect is normal and should not cause concern.
Ultrasonic mechanical scaling is a method increasingly used by specialist dentists. It is less invasive than the mechanical method and does not cause unpleasant sensations. Ultrasonic scaling involves the use of devices that produce mechanical vibrations at very high frequencies, which the human body does not perceive. These vibrations break up and fragment dental tartar, while at the same time the powerful water jet devices remove the detached mineralised formations, leaving the teeth clean.
The ultrasound procedure for tartar removal does not affect the dental pulp, traumatises the gums and other soft tissues in the oral cavity less. Scaling thus performed is gentler and has a calming effect.
Sonic mechanical scaling is a highly specialised method of tartar removal, involving the removal of mineralised bacterial plaque using a powerful jet of air. This method is gentler than those previously mentioned, but its effectiveness is also lower. To achieve good results, this procedure must be supplemented by manual scaling.
In conclusion, descaling is the only effective method of removing mineralised bacterial plaque. It is a procedure that must be carried out by a specialist dentist and should be performed at least every six months to maintain oral health.
The scaling procedure precedes complex surgical treatments, tooth extraction treatments, and those for implant placement.
To minimise the risk of infection, it is important that patients undergoing this procedure are in perfect health. Scaling should not be performed when patients are suffering from contagious diseases or seasonal ailments.