Once tartar has fully hardened on your teeth, you cannot safely remove it at home. Tartar (also called calculus) is 70 to 90 percent mineral, essentially a calcium-phosphate shell bonded to your enamel. No toothbrush, mouthwash, or home remedy can dissolve or scrub it off. A dental professional with specialized instruments is the only reliable way to get rid of it. That said, there’s a lot you can do to slow its formation, prevent more from building up, and understand what to expect when you get it removed.
Why Tartar Is So Hard to Remove
Tartar starts as soft, sticky plaque, the film of bacteria that builds on your teeth throughout the day. Within 48 hours of sitting on your teeth, plaque can become 50 percent mineralized. By 12 days, it reaches 60 to 90 percent mineralization. At that point, it has essentially turned to stone. The dominant mineral in tartar is hydroxyapatite, the same compound that makes up your tooth enamel. That’s why it bonds so tightly to the tooth surface and why brushing alone can’t break it free.
This is also why prevention matters so much. The window to remove plaque before it hardens is roughly one to two days. Once that window closes, you’re dealing with a different substance entirely.
What Happens at a Professional Cleaning
Dentists and hygienists use two main approaches to remove tartar: hand instruments and ultrasonic scalers. Hand instruments (called curettes and scalers) have sharp, curved tips designed to physically chip calculus off the tooth surface, including below the gumline. Ultrasonic scalers vibrate at high frequency and spray a stream of water that helps break apart and flush away deposits. Most cleanings use a combination of both.
A standard cleaning handles tartar above and slightly below the gumline. If tartar has built up significantly beneath the gums, or if you already show signs of gum disease like swollen or bleeding gums, your dentist may recommend a deep cleaning. This procedure, called scaling and root planing, goes further below the gumline to remove tartar from the root surfaces. It’s typically the first-line treatment for mild to moderate gum disease. The process is done under local anesthetic and may be split across two appointments, one side of the mouth at a time. Recovery is usually a few days of mild soreness.
Why DIY Scraping Is a Bad Idea
Dental scrapers are easy to buy online, and plenty of videos show people chipping tartar off their own teeth. This carries real risks. Without proper training and lighting, you can scratch your enamel (leading to sensitivity), cut your gum tissue (which can cause recession and expose sensitive roots), or injure your cheeks and tongue. Perhaps the biggest danger is accidentally pushing tartar or bacteria beneath the gumline, which can cause infections or gum abscesses. Professional instruments are the same basic tools, but the difference is the years of training behind them and the ability to see and reach areas you simply can’t on your own.
What About Baking Soda and Home Remedies?
Baking soda is genuinely useful for removing plaque, the soft precursor to tartar. Research published in the Journal of the American Dental Association found that baking soda, despite being a low-abrasion substance, matches or outperforms more abrasive agents at removing plaque and surface stains. A baking soda toothpaste or a paste of baking soda and water can help keep fresh plaque from accumulating between brushings.
But baking soda cannot dissolve or remove tartar that has already hardened. The same goes for apple cider vinegar, coconut oil pulling, and other popular remedies. These may offer minor benefits for soft plaque or freshening breath, but none of them can break the mineral bond of calculus on enamel. The research is clear: “More mature plaque often requires professional intervention.” If you can see or feel a hard, yellowish or brownish deposit on your teeth, no home product will remove it.
How to Prevent New Tartar From Forming
Since tartar begins as plaque and takes roughly two days to start hardening, consistent daily cleaning is the most effective prevention strategy. The goal is simple: remove plaque before it mineralizes.
- Switch to an electric toothbrush. A large Cochrane review found that electric toothbrushes reduce plaque by about 21 percent more than manual toothbrushes over three months of use, with an 11 percent greater reduction in gum inflammation. Oscillating (rotating) heads performed best.
- Floss or use interdental brushes daily. Tartar often builds up fastest between teeth and along the gumline, the areas a toothbrush misses entirely. If you dislike string floss, water flossers or small interdental brushes work well.
- Use a tartar-control toothpaste. These contain ingredients that interfere with the crystallization process, slowing the rate at which plaque hardens. Look for “tartar control” or “anti-calculus” on the label.
- Brush with baking soda occasionally. Its mild abrasiveness and alkaline pH help disrupt plaque without damaging enamel. You can use it on its own or choose a toothpaste that contains it.
- Don’t skip the back of your lower front teeth. This area, near a salivary gland duct, is where tartar accumulates fastest because saliva is mineral-rich. Give it extra attention when brushing.
What Happens If You Leave Tartar Alone
Tartar isn’t just a cosmetic problem. Its rough, porous surface gives bacteria an ideal place to multiply right against your gums. Over time, the toxins these bacteria produce trigger chronic inflammation. In the early stage, called gingivitis, your gums become red, puffy, and bleed when you brush. Gingivitis is reversible with a professional cleaning and better home care.
Left untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis. At this stage, the body’s own inflammatory response starts breaking down the bone and connective tissue that anchor your teeth. This damage is not reversible. Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and it has been linked to broader health issues including cardiovascular disease. The progression from early gum inflammation to bone loss can take months to years, but tartar buildup accelerates it significantly.
How Often to Get Cleanings
Most people benefit from a professional cleaning every six months, but the right schedule depends on how quickly you personally build up tartar. Some people are heavy calculus formers due to the mineral content of their saliva, and they may need cleanings every three to four months. Others with excellent home care and slower buildup can go longer. If you notice visible tartar forming within weeks of a cleaning, talk to your dentist about a shorter interval. The cost of more frequent cleanings is far less than treating the gum disease that unchecked tartar eventually causes.