What is Tartar and how to control its buildup?

What Is Tartar and How to Prevent

What is Dental tartar?

Tartar, also referred to as calculus, can take a serious toll on your oral health. Tartar is a hardened form of dental plaque (a sticky biofilm of bacteria). When plaque remains on your teeth for prolonged periods of time, minerals from your saliva become incorporated into the plaque, causing it to harden and strongly attach to the surfaces of your teeth.

Tartar not only has a bad appearance, it can also lead to several oral issues, including gum disease and tooth decay. Unlike dental plaque, which can be removed at home by a good oral hygiene routine, tartar must be removed by a dental professional. Common risk factors for tartar buildup are braces, dry mouth, crowded teeth, smoking, and older age.

Plaque can harden into tartar within 24 to 72 hours if it is not removed regularly, which is why daily home care matters so much. According to the World Health Organization, oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide( WHO).

How to know if there is a tartar buildup?

It can be relatively easy to spot tartar buildup on tooth surfaces, as it commonly presents as a yellow or brown stain. During your regular dental check-up and cleaning, your dental professional will detect and remove tartar.

At home, you can check whether or not you are removing dental plaque properly by using plaque disclosing tablets, which can be purchased over the counter at many drug stores. The tablet will reveal areas with remaining plaque, which will become temporarily stained by the colored tablet.

Tartar often feels rough or crusty along the gumline, and it may appear on the back of the lower front teeth or around other hard-to-clean areas. It can form above the gumline, where it is visible, or below the gumline, where only a dental professional can identify it.

What causes Dental Tartar?

When we consume foods and beverages, particularly those high in sugar, oral bacteria feed on the sugars, allowing them to grow and form dental plaque. The combination of saliva, food particles, and bacteria adheres to the surfaces of the teeth and, if not properly removed, leads to the formation of dental tartar.

A practical way to think about it is this: plaque starts as a soft film, then saliva minerals such as calcium and phosphate help it crystallize into dental calculus. That mineralized buildup is what makes tartar so difficult to remove at home.

How does tartar affect teeth and gums?

Tartar can cause harm to your teeth and gums by increasing your risk for developing the following:

Cavities: Oral bacteria feeding on the sugars we consume lead to the production of acids that contribute to tooth decay and enamel erosion.
Gingivitis: Accumulation of plaque and tartar can lead to gum inflammation, which can cause a mild form of gum disease known as gingivitis. Signs of gingivitis can include swollen, red, tender, and bleeding gums. If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to a more severe form of gum disease known as periodontal disease.
Bad Breath: Tartar buildup can contribute to strong oral odors.

Because tartar has a rough surface, it traps even more plaque and bacteria, which can keep the gums irritated and increase the risk of periodontitis, gum recession, bone loss, and loose teeth over time.

How to prevent tartar buildup?

It’s important to maintain good oral hygiene to prevent plaque and tartar buildup. Brush all surfaces of your teeth at least twice a day for 2 minutes each time, and floss daily to help remove plaque between your teeth. Be sure to visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings, typically every 6 months or more often, depending on your specific oral conditions and your dental professional's recommendations.

Your dentist may recommend an electric toothbrush to help effectively remove dental plaque. Fluoride and antibacterial mouth rinses are also a great addition to your dental routine. In addition, avoiding habits such as smoking can help lower your risk of plaque and tartar buildup. Professional cleanings that remove tartar are covered by most insurance plans, and Gentle Dental's payment plans make it easy to stay on schedule.

To make prevention more effective, focus on the gumline, use a tartar-control toothpaste if recommended by your dentist, and consider a water flosser if you have braces, bridges, or other hard-to-clean spaces.

Do not try to scrape tartar off your teeth at home; home tools can injure your gums or damage enamel, but a dental hygienist can remove hardened buildup safely during professional scaling. Plaque is the biofilm that you can disrupt every day; once it hardens into calculus, professional removal is needed.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is tartar?

Tartar is hardened dental plaque, also called dental calculus, that forms when plaque is not removed from teeth. It typically starts as a soft, sticky film and then mineralizes with calcium and phosphate from saliva. Once hardened, it attaches firmly to tooth surfaces and is much harder to remove than plaque.

What is the difference between plaque and tartar?

Plaque is a soft, often invisible biofilm of bacteria, food particles, and saliva that can be removed with daily brushing and flossing. Tartar is what forms when plaque is left in place long enough to harden. Plaque can begin forming again within hours after cleaning, and it may mineralize into tartar within 24–72 hours if not removed.

Can tartar be removed at home?

No, tartar cannot be safely removed at home once it has hardened on the teeth. Brushing, flossing, and mouthwash can help prevent more buildup, but they do not break down existing tartar. Attempting to scrape it off with tools at home can damage enamel and injure the gums. Professional dental scaling is the standard method used to remove hardened deposits.

How can you prevent tartar buildup?

You can prevent tartar buildup by removing plaque every day before it hardens. Brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing once daily, and using an electric toothbrush or water flosser can all help. Antiseptic mouthwash may reduce bacteria, and tartar-control toothpaste can slow plaque buildup. The American Dental Association recommends regular dental visits, since home care alone cannot remove tartar once it forms.

What does tartar look like on teeth?

Tartar often looks like yellow, brown, or dark deposits on the teeth, especially near the gumline. It can also build up behind the lower front teeth and on surfaces that are harder to clean thoroughly. Because tartar is rough and porous, it may make teeth feel uneven or coated. Some buildup is visible above the gumline, while other deposits can form below the gumline and be harder to notice.

Can tartar lead to gum disease?

Yes, tartar can contribute to gum disease by creating a rough surface that traps more plaque and irritates the gums. This can lead to gingivitis, which is early gum inflammation, and may progress to periodontitis if not addressed. Advanced periodontitis can cause gum recession, bone loss, loose teeth, and tooth loss. The CDC reports that nearly 1 in 2 adults age 30 and older has some form of periodontitis (CDC), highlighting how common this risk is.