Not only does it cause loss of aesthetics, tartar, also known as tartar, is also home to many types of bacteria that are harmful to the teeth. According to a study by the American Dental Association (ADA), tartar is the main cause of oral diseases, especially around the teeth. Therefore, scaling or scaling teeth periodically every 3-6 months is a solution to completely eliminate the causes of many dental diseases. Understanding tartar and the necessity of removing tartar will help you feel less hesitant when removing tartar.

After eating, drinking or brushing your teeth for about 15 minutes, a thin transparent film is formed on the tooth surface called Biofirm film. This membrane is soft, invisible to the naked eye and very sticky, so food debris and bacteria in the mouth easily stick to the membrane, forming a clear or yellow layer on the teeth called plaque. Plaque can be partially removed by brushing your teeth.

After a short time, bacteria, calcium salts in saliva along with food debris accumulate more and more, making plaque thicker and harder, forming tartar or tartar. At this time, brushing your teeth cannot remove tartar.

Tartar is divided into 2 types: Saliva tartar: usually sticks to the tooth surface, between teeth and on the gums. They are often light yellow, yellowish brown or reddish brown due to calcium salts in saliva deposited on plaque. You can clearly see this type of tartar.

Serum tartar: usually sticks to the surface of teeth, between teeth and under the gums. They are black and very hard. They are formed by inflamed gums causing bleeding. The sticky serum in the blood sticks to the salivary tartar, creating extremely favorable conditions for bacteria to accumulate and thicken. This type of tartar often causes severe gingivitis. This type is difficult to see with your eyes.

As mentioned above, plaque and tartar are "foreign objects" that exist in the mouth. Harmful bacteria that exist on plaque and tartar are the main cause of many dangerous effects on your oral and whole body health such as:

• Tartar and plaque often have a color that contrasts with the color of real teeth, along with red, inflamed gums, causing serious loss of teeth aesthetics.
• The bacteria on plaque and tartar will decompose leftover food in the mouth, combined with inflamed and bleeding gums, causing bad breath, making you lack confidence in communication.
• On the surface of dental tartar there are always bacteria in large quantities. Bacteria will make sugar in fermented foods create acid that erodes tooth enamel and dentin, causing tooth decay.
• Bacteria in tartar cause irritation and destruction of tissues around the teeth such as: At a mild level, gingivitis: swollen, red, edematous, bleeding gums. Gingivitis can be cured and gums healthy again if tartar is removed and proper oral hygiene is maintained.

• More dangerously, if gingivitis is not treated, more tartar will form on the gums and under the gums and persist, leading to receding gums, pus in the gums, loss of bone that holds teeth firmly in place, and periodontitis (periodontitis). teeth),... causing loose teeth. If there is no immediate solution, it can lead to mass tooth loss, seriously affecting chewing function and aesthetics.

• In addition, bacteria on tartar are also the cause of dangerous diseases such as retrograde pulpitis, interdental inflammation, diseases of the oral mucosa: oral mucositis, mouth ulcers,...
• The gums are always in an unhealthy state due to harmful bacteria on the teeth, creating favorable conditions for systemic diseases such as cardiovascular, respiratory, diabetes, etc. to become more severe and difficult. cure. In particular, many studies have shown that having a lot of plaque, tartar, and gingivitis during pregnancy can lead to premature birth

4. Ways to remove plaque and tartar

There are many ways to remove plaque and tartar:

Limit plaque and tartar at home with lemon, orange, areca peel, baking soda, etc. However, this method only works in cases where there is little plaque and tartar and is not tightly attached to the face. tooth. In particular, when overused or incorrectly implemented, the above methods also lead to the risk of gingivitis, periodontitis, tooth enamel erosion, teeth becoming sensitive, painful and uncomfortable... Besides, these methods This method cannot be done thoroughly in every position of the teeth, especially teeth deep in the mouth or crowded teeth, and it cannot remove all existing tartar on the tooth surface.

The best way to remove plaque and tartar on teeth is to have tartar removed at the dental clinic. At that time, the dentist will use machines and specialized hand tools to remove all tartar above and below the gums as well as remove all plaque on the tooth surface. Depending on the amount of tartar and the condition of the gums, the dentist will decide whether to remove tartar in just 1 appointment or more and whether or not it requires medication.

5. What should you do after scaling your teeth?

After removing tartar, you should follow a few notes:

• Avoid using things that are too hot or too cold as this will make  your teeth sensitive and painful.
• Limit smoking or colored foods and drinks such as tea, coffee, carrot juice, etc., which will make it easier for plaque to stick quickly.
• Take medication as directed by your dentist.
• Follow up on time to ensure the treatment process is complete.

6. How to avoid tartar?

Clean oral hygiene is the best way to prevent tartar and plaque, in which you remember:

• Brush your teeth properly with the use of fluoride toothpaste.
• Use dental floss to clean between teeth, minimizing the accumulation of plaque between teeth.
• Combine brushing teeth properly and using dental floss twice a day.
• You can rinse your mouth regularly with diluted salt water.

Note on daily diet:

• Avoid using things that are too hot or too cold as this will make your teeth sensitive and painful.
• Limit smoking or colored foods and drinks such as tea, coffee, carrot juice, etc., which will make it easier for plaque to stick quickly.
• Limit the use of foods that are too soft and sticky such as cookies, marshmallows, chocolate, etc. because they stick firmly to the teeth and are difficult to clean.

• Foods high in fiber will help keep your teeth cleaner and your gums stronger.
• Follow a healthy diet, limit foods high in flour and sugar
• You should proactively make appointments for regular dental checkups and scaling every 6 months.

Tooth scaling is a simple dental procedure but brings many benefits. The goal of dental scaling is to remove all tartar and plaque from all sides of the teeth. Only then can the goals of treatment and prevention be achieved. Besides, preventing the risk of infection when removing tartar is also very important. Therefore, you should go to reputable dental facilities with modern equipment to quickly regain bright white teeth, avoiding losing points due to yellow, tartar-filled teeth.