Introduction
Tartar describes mineralized plaque that has been insufficiently removed due to poor oral hygiene. These mineralized plaques can no longer be removed with a toothbrush or conventional methods. A visit to the dentist is unavoidable. There a professional tooth cleaning is carried out.
What is tartar?
Together with caries, tartar is one of the most common dental diseases. Tartar is a hard and very firmly adhering deposit on the tooth crowns as a result of the precipitation of calcium from saliva, mixed with bacteria and mucous membrane cells. It is caused by the calcification of dental plaque.
Tartar forms particularly strongly on the inner surfaces of the lower front teeth and on the cheek side of the first molar. This is due to the fact that the openings of the salivary glands are located under the tongue opposite the lower front teeth and opposite the first molar. The beginning of the tartar build-up is always at the neck of the tooth, where the plaque also first settles.
Not only we humans can have tartar, but also our pets dog and cat develop tartar, especially if they only get soft canned food. The consequences are bad breath and inflamed gums. The veterinarian will remove the tartar under anesthesia.
The tartar is porous and bacteria can collect and multiply in the cavities. The surface of the tartar is rough and therefore well suited for further plaque to accumulate and after it has calcified, the tartar will continue to grow. If it is not removed, it overgrows the tooth and gums.
On the inner surfaces of the lower front teeth, a real wall of tartar is formed, which can also penetrate the interdental spaces and thus become visible on the front side. The color of the tartar varies from grey to brown. In cigar or pipe smokers, it can become dark to blackish due to the tar.
This form of tartar is called supragingival tartar because it is located above the gums. The formation of tartar is not the same for all people. There are people who have new tartar very quickly and others who have very little tartar.
It is probably due to the composition of individual saliva whether one belongs to one group or another. There are also differences in the removal of tartar. Some can be removed relatively easily, others are very tight.
But tartar can also form in the gum pockets. Since it is located under the gums, it is called subgingival tartar or concrement. This tartar is harder than the supragingival and has a darker color. It also forms from calcified plaque, but its mineralization is not from saliva, but from inflammatory tissue secretions. The concrements are extremely firmly attached to the tooth root and become more and more extensive as new plaque is deposited.
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