What are the risks?

If used independently or incorrectly, there is a risk of damaging the hard tooth substance. The enamel or dentine layer can be so severely eroded that the tooth is weakened. The tooth becomes sensitive to thermal stimuli and the vessels and nerves within the tooth chamber can become inflamed.

An inflammation of the nerve tissue, a pulpitis, always results in a root canal treatment and the tooth is “dead” afterwards. As a result, it becomes brittle and must be crowned because of the increased risk of fracture. Furthermore, an inexperienced user can injure the soft tissues if the tooth slips. The gums can be damaged to such an extent that a suture restoration is necessary. Wounded gums also tend to become inflamed.

What is a calculus eraser?

A variant to remove weak tartar gently by yourself is the tartar eraser, which is also available in drugstores. The eraser consists of a rubber, which has been mixed with particles. These particles are abrasive and can remove tartar mechanically.

The tartar eraser can not only remove tartar, but also discolorations caused by tea, coffee, red wine and nicotine consumption. When using it, it is important that the gums are not damaged and not to work with too much pressure, so as not to damage the hard tooth substance. If the pressure is too high, there is a risk that hard tooth substances such as enamel or dentine may also be removed.

This causes permanent damage to the teeth. In general, it is possible to loosen light tartar deposits with the tartar eraser. Massive, stubborn deposits can hardly be removed manually with the eraser, however.

It is advisable to use the tartar eraser only if the application is easy and safe. If the patient feels unsafe with the instrument or if the tartar deposits are too massive, it is better to visit the dentist for tartar removal. Here you can reach our main page: Tartar eraser