Turuncu Dental Clinic - Antalya - Turkey
Also known as tartar, it causes plaque formation on the teeth. Plaque combines with the minerals in our saliva and clings to the teeth. Plaques attached to the tooth surface cause an increase in the roughness of the tooth surface after a certain period. With the arrival of new plates on this roughness, they turn into dental calculus.
Tartar accumulates between the root and gingiva, especially between the teeth. Its formation is standard on the inner surfaces of the upper teeth facing the cheek and the inner surfaces of the lower teeth.
Deposits above the gum line are yellow or bronze. Tartar also occurs below the gum line. Tartars that develop below the gum line are seen as brown or black.
Dental calculus consists of live bacteria, and it causes intraoral infection, gum recession and even jaw bone resorption. For these reasons, regular dental scaling is essential for oral health.
Not paying enough attention to oral hygiene is one of the most important causes of tartar formation. Neglecting daily brushing and not cleaning between teeth with dental floss accelerates the formation of tartar.
Teeth that are not cleaned regularly cause the formation of bacterial plaque, which combines with the minerals in the saliva and turns into tartar over time.
You can prevent dental calculus by taking a few precautions.
We can list these measures as follows:
Brush twice a day for at least 2 minutes, making sure your toothbrush touches all surfaces of your teeth.
Calculus is mainly on the inward-facing surfaces of the anterior teeth and maxillary molars; brush these parts carefully.
Tooth brushing is to clean the thin bacterial plaque accumulated on the teeth. Therefore, choosing a soft-tipped toothbrush will suffice. Avoid hard brushing, as it is not possible to clean tartar with a toothbrush.
Use dental floss to clean between teeth, as toothbrushes cannot clean between teeth.
End your daily oral hygiene by gargling with mouthwash to ensure that bacteria in the mouth are clean.
Apart from cleaning, another way to avoid tartar is to pay attention to what you eat and drink. For example, Since sugary and starchy foods increase the formation of bacteria, you should avoid such foods.
Studies have shown that tartar development is more common in smokers. Therefore, reduce or even quit smoking if possible.
You can prevent the formation of tartar by visiting your dentist twice a year.
Different methods can be applied in dental calculus cleaning. Tartar cleaning is done in two different ways by using ultrasonic devices and manual hand tools. In general, plaque and calculus Ultrasonic devices are used in cases at the gingival level. In contrast, manual hand tools are used to clean the tartars and inflammations in the gums that these devices cannot reach. Conditions such as gingival health and the calculus position are adequate for cleaning the calculus.
Method used to clean the yellow or brown-looking tartar with the hardening of the bacterial plaque on the tooth . It is the process of removing tartar with an ultrasonic device called a cavitron in cases where the tartar does not damage the gingival tissues yet and the patient does not have any gingival disease. In this procedure, the patient is usually not anesthetized. The cleaning process does not harm the teeth, on the contrary, it prevents advanced gum diseases that can be caused by tartar.
The calculus is not cleaned regularly, calculus continues to progress towards the gums. This causes damage to the tissues that support the gums. Due to the damage to the gingival tissue, the teeth begin to separate from the gingiva and cavities are formed where the tartar accumulates. In this case , because the gingiva can become inflamed, tartar should be cleaned deeply, not superficially. This treatment method is the process of scraping the tartar and diseased tissues that have progressed towards the root of the tooth. Local anesthesia is applied to the patient as the application will be made approximately 3 mm below the gingiva. Curettage process; It is applied in cases where symptoms such as gingival bleeding, gingival recession and gingival swelling are seen as related to gingival diseases.
Both scaling and curettage is methods used in tartar removal. They differ in terms of the situations in which they are applied. Scaling process; It is a simple cleaning process that allows the cleaning of tartar at the level of the tooth. Curettage treatment is the removal of calculus advancing toward the gums. It is a deep cleaning process to prevent infection and various discomforts in the gums. Scalingt treatment, It is a relatively easier treatment method than curettage. Ultrasonic devices are sufficient in cleaning, but manual tools should be used in the curettage process. While anesthesia is not applied to the patient in the Scaling process, local anesthesia is used in the curettage treatment.
Polishing; It is a tooth polishing process applied after cleaning the tartar with the appropriate method from the scaling or curettage treatments. It is also essential to have tooth polish after the tartar cleaning. Polishing ensures the smoothness of the tooth surfaces and prevents bacteria and plaque formation. This process is also preferred for removing stains on the tooth surface due to the use of caffeine-containing foods and tobacco products.
The polishing process; It is applied by the dentist in the form of applying the substance to the tooth surfaces with the help of an electronic brush. The polishing application takes approximately 20 minutes.
Calculus is a foreign substance contrary to the tooth's natural structure. While gingiva and tooth roots are adhered to each other in a healthy tooth, in cases where tartar cleaning is not done, the gingiva and tooth begin to separate from each other. The cavities around the teeth are filled with calculus and prevent routine dental cleaning from being done correctly. If the tartar is not cleaned, it causes recession of the gums, inflammation of the gums, tooth loss and even bone resorption in the jaw. For the tartar cleaning to be done correctly, it must be done by the dentist at least twice a year.
Case of regular dental scaling (the scaling method applied in the absence of gum disease), the curettage method applied with local anesthesia will not be necessary. Since the curettage method is applied in cases with deep and dense dental calculus, it can be difficult for the patient compared to the calcination procedure.
Attention should be paid to caffeine-containing beverages such as tea, coffee, and tobacco, especially in the first two hours after the detergent treatment. These foods can cause discoloration of the teeth.
Curettage treatment applied in gum disease or deep dental calculus is performed with local anesthesia. Food and drink should not be consumed until the effect of anesthesia wear off.
After tartar cleaning, staying away from scorching and cold drinks and acidic foods such as tomatoes and oranges for at least 24 hours is necessary.
Removal and curettage procedures, pain in the form of pain in the gums can be seen. This is due to heat sensitivity, which goes away completely in about three weeks.
Gaps formed after dental scaling. Although the attachments in the gums become palpable after cleaning, this process does not cause any change in the form of the teeth.
To accelerate the healing of tissues cleaned from tartar, you can gargle with warm salt water.
If a specialist physician has given antibiotic treatment, it should be used regularly.
In a healthy tooth, while the gum and tooth root are stuck together, in cases where tartar cleaning is not done, the gum and tooth begin to separate from each other. The cavities around the teeth are filled with calculus and prevent routine dental cleaning from being done correctly. If the tartar is not cleaned, it can cause gum recession, tooth inflammation, tooth loss and even jaw bone Resorption.
When we ignore our dental health, the plaque that forms over time hardens and turns into dental calculus. In addition to brushing in our daily dental cleaning, we can prevent this by using dental floss. However, since hardened dental plaques will turn into tartar over time, it will not be easy to clean these tartars at home anymore. Hard interventions with dental floss can damage the gums in some cases. Since the damage to the gums will cause inflammatory risks, it is beneficial to carry out the detailed tartar removal process under the dentist's control.
Calculus; It consists of the combination of bacteria living in the mouth with calcium and other substances found in the food we eat. The tartar formed on the teeth is hard in structure. Although it is possible to clean the still simple calculus by brushing, it is impossible to clean the visible calculus.
Dental calculus is a hard substance in terms of structure. For this reason, it would be appropriate for a dentist to separate the tartar adhered to the tooth surface with manual (cavitary) or ultrasonic (cavitron) devices that do not harm the tooth enamel.
Cleaning calculus is a very beneficial process for our oral health. There is no scientific explanation for the statements that calculus cleaning is harmful. Dental calculus cleaning, which is not done regularly, causes many dental diseases, such as tooth loss and bone loss, by reducing the calculus below the gingival level.
It is essential to perform daily oral care regularly after tooth tartar cleaning. Brushing and flossing at least twice a day will prevent plaque formation. However, dental calculus formation will not recur, thanks to periodic dental checks.
By dentists, it is appropriate to carry out tartar cleaning twice a year. Six months after the scaling is done, your dentist will re-evaluate you during the routine dental health checkups, and it will be decided when the scaling will be done.
Physicians use ultrasonic and manual tools in calculus cleaning. Since this equipment will not cause any damage to the tooth enamel, it does not cause thinning of the teeth. After scaling, the teeth look more lively and brighter.
Teeth cleaning; In general, it is completed in as little as 25-30 minutes. However, this period; varies in cases where the calculus of the people has descended below the gingival level, or the symptoms of gingival diseases begin to appear.