Tartar removal: Prophylaxis
In order to prevent the formation of tartar, only regular and above all thorough brushing of the teeth helps. Only if the plaque, which is always new, is removed regularly, it cannot mineralize. For this reason it is recommended to brush your teeth at least twice a day.
Here, everyone should develop a personal system in which all teeth and all tooth surfaces are cleaned. The question of whether one should rather brush with a manual toothbrush or prefer the electric toothbrush is an individual decision and depends on what the individual can handle better. Furthermore, it is very important to clean the interdental spaces thoroughly as well, as plaque accumulates here.
For interdental care the classical dental floss or so-called interdental brushes (Intedental brushes) are suitable. Here too, there is no general decision as to what is better, but this decision varies from person to person. The interdental brushes are available in different sizes and the choice of size should be discussed with the dentist.
In addition, depending on the person and the situation of the teeth, it is recommended to perform professional tooth cleaning (PZR) 1-4 times per year. For the normal patient it is usually sufficient to have a PZR done every six months. People with limited motor skills, e.g. certain diseases or people with disabilities, with a complicated bite situation or periodontal disease should go to the PZR more often. Here the tartar is removed and the subsequent polishing makes it more difficult to reattach it. The prevention of tartar is therefore not only desirable for aesthetic reasons, but is also of great importance for dental health in general.
What is a tartar remover?
A tartar remover is a special sterilizable instrument made of stainless steel with which tartar can be scraped off. It must be regularly sharpened, as it becomes blunt after repeated use and no longer removes tartar without force or pressure. However, this instrument with the pointed end should only be used by qualified personnel, as the risk of injury is too high for untrained users.
Furthermore, the area of the back of the front teeth, where the most tartar is present, is very difficult to see. The tartar remover can easily slip off and injure the soft tissue or damage the hard tooth substance if handled too forcefully. For these reasons, the tartar remover should only be used in the dental office by qualified personnel, where it is properly sterilized, sharpened and maintained. The patient can only use the tartar remover for the removal of soft food residues after eating in the interdental spaces. Click here for the main article: Tartar remover
