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Tartar is also known as dental calculus, and it’s common to experience it. Even those who are very conscious of oral hygiene will find some tartar in places that are hard to reach with a toothbrush. 

Tartar is hardened plaque, the sticky film we all have on our teeth from eating and drinking. Plaque forms when bacteria mix with sugar or starch from our food.

If we do not don’t brush, rinse and floss every day, the plaque builds up and gets thicker and stickier. If left for too long, this substance calcifies into tartar. Tartar is harder than plaque and is usually yellow and brittle. It is dangerous for the teeth! 

Tartar can lead to cavities, gingivitis (gum disease) and tooth loss.

How Do I Prevent Tartar Buildup?

Luckily, we can take various preventative measures to ensure that plaque doesn’t turn into tartar. This includes a combination of dental interventions as well as at-home care. 

The most crucial step in the fight against tartar buildup is being strict with your daily routine. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste, rinsing with mouthwash and flossing between the teeth to get those hard-to-reach areas is imperative. 

Food gets stuck between the teeth after each meal, and a strict daily routine helps to remove the acidic residue from your mouth.

Don’t Miss Your Checkups! 

Dentists recommend a checkup once every six months to stay ahead of your oral health. Here, they can pick up if you have any risk factors for various mouth conditions, check the tartar buildup, and assess if you need it professionally removed. 

Professional removal of tartar is done with a scaler. This tool has a hook on one end, which allows it to reach below the gum line to remove tartar and calculus.

Add An Anti-Plaque Mouthwash To Your Routine

Many locally available types of mouthwash have formulas that specifically target plaque and tartar buildup. 

Many people skip this step and think rinsing the mouth with water is just as effective, but mouthwash is highly beneficial. 

Rinsing with mouthwash helps prevent plaque build-up between brushing, removes the base particles of plaque, and kills bacteria in your mouth.

Stop Smoking

Gum disease is linked to smoking, and smokers usually have yellowed teeth. Smoking exposes the teeth to tobacco and nicotine, causing stained, yellow-tinted teeth and bad breath.

Smokers can have gum disease without any bleeding, meaning the disease has more time to progress before it is picked up.

Gum disease is linked to smoking because smokers tend to have more tartar on their teeth than nonsmokers. The nicotine in tobacco reduces saliva production, making it easier for tartar, plaque and bacteria to build up in the mouth.

Limit Sugar

Eating an excessive amount of sugary foods creates excessive plaque buildup. Remove soft drinks and processed, sugary treats like cakes, candy, and other sweets from your daily consumption. 

Once in a while is fine, but do your due diligence and brush, floss and rinse soon after. 

Prevention is the key to remaining tartar-free.

Sugars are breeding grounds for plaque-building bacteria.

Clean Your Tongue

Sometimes, even those of use with the best teeth cleaning routines neglect to clean the plaque off our tongues. Plaque left on the tongue will eventually find a place back onto the teeth and harden into tartar. 

Most toothbrushes have ridges on the backside to scrape the tongue while brushing. But there is also a whole range of tongue scrapers one can buy straight from the grocery store. 

Disposable ones are best – so that you can just throw them away and avoid any bacterial issues with reuse – and usually come in boxes with multiple scrapers.