Dental scaling is the professional procedure for removing hardened plaque, known as calculus or tartar. While the desire to remove visible buildup at home is understandable, attempting to scrape tartar off your teeth without professional training is dangerous. This complex procedure, especially below the gumline, requires specialized tools and expertise to prevent serious damage to your oral health.
The Risks of At-Home Dental Scraping
Using non-professional tools, even those marketed as dental picks, risks physical damage to soft and hard oral tissues. Improper technique can easily cause lacerations to the delicate gum tissue, leading to inflammation and gum recession. Receding gumlines expose the tooth’s root surface, which is softer than enamel and highly susceptible to damage and increased sensitivity.
The risk of infection is a major concern when using non-sterile tools. Scraping can inadvertently push bacteria and calculus further under the gumline, creating pockets where infection can thrive and progress to periodontal disease or an abscess. Trauma to the gums can also introduce bacteria into the bloodstream (bacteremia), posing a systemic health risk.
DIY scraping can also cause irreversible damage to the tooth structure. Sharp edges of consumer-grade metal tools can scratch the enamel, which does not regenerate. These microscopic scratches create rough spots where plaque adheres more easily, accelerating future tartar buildup and increasing the risk of decay. Home tools lack the precision required for safe calculus removal, making it impossible to clean teeth without risking gouging the root surfaces below the gumline.
Safe Techniques for Tartar Prevention
The most effective way to manage tartar is to prevent plaque from hardening into calculus, which takes about 24 to 72 hours. This requires adopting a precise at-home oral hygiene routine. Dentists often recommend the Modified Bass technique, which involves placing toothbrush bristles at a 45-degree angle toward the gumline to clean the gingival sulcus (the small pocket between the tooth and gum).
Using a soft-bristled brush, you should employ short, gentle back-and-forth and circular strokes, focusing on cleaning the area where the tooth meets the gum. Thorough flossing or using interdental cleaners once a day is equally important, as this removes plaque from the tight spaces between teeth that a brush cannot reach.
Incorporating a fluoride toothpaste helps strengthen enamel and resist acid erosion caused by plaque bacteria. Reducing the intake of sugary and starchy foods is also beneficial, as these provide the fuel that bacteria use to form the sticky biofilm known as plaque. Maintaining this rigorous routine disrupts the plaque matrix before it can mineralize into the hard deposit of calculus.
Understanding Professional Dental Scaling
Professional dental scaling is a meticulous procedure requiring years of training and specialized equipment to be performed safely. Dental hygienists and dentists use instruments specifically designed for the complex contours of the teeth. They often use magnification and bright lighting to ensure clear visibility.
A common tool is the ultrasonic scaler, which utilizes high-frequency vibrations (typically 25,000 to 45,000 cycles per second) to break up hard calculus deposits. This mechanical action is combined with a cooling water spray that creates imploding bubbles. This process, called cavitation, helps dislodge debris and flush out bacteria without damaging the tooth surface.
Professional cleaning includes subgingival scaling, which is the removal of calculus from below the gumline and within periodontal pockets. This procedure demands advanced skill and tactile sensitivity, as the operator must rely on feel to clean the root surface without causing trauma to the soft tissue attachment. The goal of this deep cleaning is to create a smooth root surface. This smoothness encourages the gums to reattach and prevents further bacterial colonization.