A dental professional routinely removes plaque from your teeth. This professional cleaning is a standard procedure for maintaining optimal oral health, reaching areas that regular brushing and flossing cannot effectively clean. The process targets the bacterial film that constantly forms on tooth surfaces. This film is the primary cause of tooth decay and gum disease, and professional removal prevents significant problems over time.
Understanding Plaque and Tartar
Plaque is a soft, sticky, and nearly colorless film of bacteria that continually develops on the surfaces of your teeth, particularly along the gum line and between teeth. This biofilm is composed of oral bacteria, food debris, and saliva proteins. The bacteria in plaque feed on sugars and starches in your diet and produce acids that erode tooth enamel, leading to cavities.
If plaque is not removed consistently through daily oral hygiene, it begins to absorb minerals from your saliva, primarily calcium phosphate, and hardens. This hardened substance is known as calculus or tartar. Calculus is a rigid, porous deposit that is typically yellow or brown in color and clings stubbornly to the tooth surface.
The distinction is crucial because plaque is soft enough to be removed at home, but calculus requires professional intervention. Calculus provides a rough surface that encourages more plaque to accumulate, creating a cycle of buildup. This mineralized deposit can form within 24 to 72 hours if the soft plaque film is left undisturbed.
The Professional Plaque and Calculus Removal Process
The process a dental hygienist or dentist uses to clean your teeth is known as a prophylaxis, or a scale and polish. This procedure is designed to remove deposits that daily brushing and flossing cannot eliminate. The first and most intensive step is scaling, which targets both soft plaque and hardened calculus.
Scaling is performed using specialized instruments, which can be either manual or ultrasonic. Manual scalers and curettes are fine, hooked tools that allow the professional to physically scrape calculus deposits from the tooth surface, both above and slightly below the gum line. This technique requires training and a precise sense of touch to ensure thorough removal without damaging gum tissue.
The most common technique involves an ultrasonic scaler, which utilizes a metal tip that vibrates at a high frequency. These rapid vibrations, combined with a continuous spray of water, fracture and dislodge the hard calculus deposits. The water spray simultaneously washes away fragments and cools the vibrating tip, making the process highly efficient for breaking up large areas of buildup.
After the deposits are removed, the teeth are polished to create a smooth surface that makes it more difficult for new plaque to attach. This final step involves using a slow-speed handpiece with a soft rubber cup and a mildly abrasive paste. Following the polish, a fluoride treatment may be applied to strengthen the tooth enamel and provide protection against decay.
Limitations of Home Care and Necessity of Dental Visits
Once plaque mineralizes into calculus, it becomes physically impossible to remove with a standard toothbrush or dental floss. Only the sharp, specialized instruments used by dental professionals can effectively chip it away from the tooth surface. Attempting to scrape off tartar at home using non-dental tools can cause serious damage, including scratching the enamel or traumatizing the gums.
Leaving calculus untreated creates a rough, irritating surface that sits against the gums. This chronic irritation leads to a localized inflammatory response called gingivitis, characterized by red, swollen gums that may bleed easily during brushing. If the deposits are not removed, the inflammation can progress to periodontitis, a more serious gum disease.
Periodontitis causes the gums to pull away from the tooth, creating pockets where bacteria, plaque, and calculus accumulate deeper below the gum line. Over time, the infection in these pockets destroys the supporting bone structure that anchors the tooth. This bone loss can ultimately lead to tooth mobility and the loss of the tooth. Regular professional cleanings are the only way to arrest this progression.
Maintaining Oral Health Between Appointments
While professional cleanings remove existing calculus, the responsibility for controlling soft plaque rests with the patient between appointments. The most effective preventative measure is a disciplined home care routine focused on removing the plaque film before it has a chance to harden. This starts with brushing your teeth for a minimum of two full minutes, twice per day, using a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste.
Flossing daily is equally important, as a toothbrush cannot effectively reach the tight spaces between teeth or the areas directly below the gum line where plaque accumulates first. Using string floss, an interdental brush, or a water flosser once a day removes the soft plaque from these vulnerable areas before mineralization begins.
Dietary habits also influence the rate of plaque formation. Limiting the frequency of consuming sugary snacks and acidic beverages reduces the food source available for plaque-causing bacteria. Maintaining good hydration by drinking water helps promote saliva flow, which acts as a natural cleansing agent to neutralize acids and wash away food particles. Most dental professionals recommend a routine check-up and professional cleaning every six months.