How long does it take to remove tartar?
A tartar removal at the dentist can vary in duration. Depending on the amount of tartar, the treatment can last from five to twenty minutes, provided that the roughened tooth surfaces are polished afterwards. Professional dental cleaning, which includes tartar removal, takes between 45 minutes and one hour, depending on oral hygiene and the patient’s initial situation.
How often should tartar be removed?
Depending on the extent of tartar formation, a single removal per year may be sufficient or far too little. The decisive factor here is whether the patient is prone to tartar formation and what the patient’s oral hygiene is like. In the case of normal tartar formation, it is usually sufficient to have tartar removed once a year and six months later to have a professional tooth cleaning, so that tartar is thoroughly removed once every six months.
In patients who have massive tartar deposits, this frequency may still be too low, so the dentist orders more frequent professional cleaning of the tartar. However, professional cleaning should not be done more than four times a year to avoid overloading the hard tissues of the teeth. Here you can get more information: Professional tooth cleaning – How often is it necessary?
Do I need an anesthetic for tartar removal?
As a rule, local anesthesia is not necessary for tartar removal, and it is not a service provided by the insurance company. In isolated cases, for example in the case of particularly massive tartar build-up or very pain-sensitive patients, anesthesia can be used, but in this case the local anesthesia must be paid for privately. This amounts to about fifteen to twenty euros.
Can tartar be removed during pregnancy?
Tartar can and should be removed during pregnancy, as the tissues of the oral cavity are softer and more susceptible to infection and inflammation during pregnancy. If an inflammation is already present, the tartar should be carefully removed manually with a curette to clean thoroughly and gently so that the gums can regenerate and not become even more irritated. Professional teeth cleaning is possible during pregnancy in the second trimenon. The removal of bacterial plaque prevents it from reaching the bloodstream and thus from entering the child’s circulation.
