Dental tartar, an almost invisible enemy for our teeth

The accumulation of tartar is more and more frequent in people, many of them are not even aware of the importance that this has since it can lead to much more serious diseases, as our dentist in Fuengirola Sergio Gómez has told us.

What is dental tartar and what types are there?

One of the parts of our body most exposed to bacteria is the mouth. Due to the microorganisms, the bacterial plaque is formed in it, which if it is not eliminated with correct oral hygiene, will end up classifying, due to the minerals in our saliva, to end up transforming into tartar, a problem at first purely aesthetic that can end up causing complete loss of the tooth.

There are 2 types of tartar, which we can classify according to its location;

Supragingival: When the tartar is above the gum line.

Subgingival: When the tartar is below the gum line.

How is toothpaste formed?

Generally, this problem is due to poor oral hygiene, either due to poor tooth brushing or because it accumulates in areas where it is difficult to reach, it can also accumulate on the teeth and between them, the same happens in the case of teeth. gums, where it can get between the gum and the tooth itself, causing serious diseases, such as periodontitis.

But not only oral hygiene influences, this problem can also be due to other factors such as eating habits or tobacco, which negatively influences this issue. Among the eating habits, those that can alter the pH level of our saliva stand out, such as alcoholic beverages, soft drinks or products with a high degree of sugar. An acidic pH, that is, with a level below 5, is an ideal environment for bacteria to adhere to the teeth and thus begin the formation of bacterial plaque. There may also be a genetic predisposition to the production and accumulation of this substance.

Consequences of the appearance of dental tartar

Tartar, as we have already mentioned, has several negative points, the least damaging to our health is the aesthetic aspect, since when it appears on our gums and teeth it negatively affects our smile.

On the other hand, tartar is the cause of some of the most common diseases of our mouth, such as periodontal diseases, such as periodontitis and gingivitis.

In the latter, an inflammation of the gums occurs that can cause irritation, redness, swelling, bad breath or bleeding of the gums when brushing.
Periodontitis is characterized by being a more advanced stage of gingival disease, in which, apart from the previous symptoms, inflammation and constant bleeding also occur, which ends with the loss of the tooth, since it affects the insertion, which is the bone that joins the gum and the tooth itself.

Dental tartar is also responsible for causing bad breath and contributes significantly to the formation of cavities, which will only affect the

I begin to tooth enamel, but if it is not treated in time, it can reach the nerve and cause greater damage.

How to remove dental tartar?

Once the tartar has formed, it is very difficult for us to be able to remove it, either by brushing or in any other way, since although there are numerous home remedies to “get rid” of this problem, there is only one way to eliminate it and that is by performing one oral cleaning, since it is the only method in which we can really see results quickly and effectively.

In this process, anesthesia is not necessary, as it is completely painless. Therefore, equipped with an ultrasound tip, the visible enamel of the teeth is cleaned, which is not damaged (contrary to what is believed).

It is recommended to have one or two mouth cleanings a year, especially for some groups of people such as pregnant women and people with hypertension, diabetes or other systematic diseases that affect the bloodstream.

If it were necessary to remove tartar more deeply, a different treatment would be necessary, called curettage, in which if local anesthesia is required and it is more complicated to perform, this process is called scraping or circular smoothing.

How can we prevent its appearance?

For the prevention of tartar, the best thing that can be done is to maintain good oral hygiene periodically combining it with a good way of brushing, we should not have problems with tartar, but as prevention is better than cure, we recommend a list of “detergent” foods since chewing them clean the teeth while you chew them, which helps prevent tartar build-up, such as apples, melons or strawberries, vegetables such as celery or tomato, or other foods such as parsley or the seeds