What is tartar? The plaque is bacterial plaque accumulated on our teeth and gums that has not been eliminated. It is a hard, yellowish deposit made up of food and bacteria. If you do not end up with bacterial plaque with proper hygiene and healthy habits, it becomes mineralized into what is known as tartar.
Tartar is something very common among people. It is very difficult to eliminate all the waste effectively and it always ends up accumulating matter. Once it is formed and hardened, it can only be removed with a cleaning carried out by a professional hygienist.
Depending on where it accumulates, it can be classified as supragingival (above the gum line) and subgingivally (below the gum line). And is that the tartar apart from causing serious oral health problems, also affects the aesthetics of the teeth. Supragingival calculus is the yellowish plaque between the teeth and above the gums. This plate can be seen easily and is very unsightly. It is able to absorb stains of food coloring and snuff very easily, so the problem is enlarged with daily habits like eating.
However, the sub gingival goes beyond something merely aesthetic. It is more dangerous because tartar, by favoring the appearance of bacteria that are in direct contact with our teeth, can lead to gingivitis. When our immune system does not end with these bacteria, gingivitis ends up leading to a periodontitis, a very serious disease that affects the alveolar bone and the tissues that support the teeth and that, if not treated in a thorough manner, ends with the loss of Dental pieces.
The best thing that can be done to prevent the appearance of tartar is to brush correctly two or three times a day, using a rinse and a toothpaste to control this and, above all, flossing. Even so, it is necessary to go to the dentist at least once a year and get into the hands of a hygienist who, with the help of ultrasounds, will eliminate all kinds of waste thanks to this tool that vibrates and irrigates water on the accumulated plate.
When the tartar has gone beyond the gum and is below it, something more than a normal oral cleaning is necessary. For this it is essential to perform a curettage, a deeper cleaning inside the gums, which may require anesthesia.
You have to be very precise and careful with the bacterial plaque, because at first glance it is not harmful, but if it is not treated it can be really dangerous for your health.