Author: Lizzie Smith – blog last updated on Tuesday 13th June 2023.
Top 3 tartar removers
Tartar isn’t only the biggest threat to your teeth; it also discolours your teeth. As we all want to keep our teeth as white as possible, this is reason enough to remove tartar. But that’s not even the most important thing. In this article, we’ll explore why you should remove tartar and how to do it yourself… safely.
What is tartar?
Tartar is „born“ as dental plaque – a thin, almost invisible mixture of bacteria, food debris and saliva. During the day, this forms a film on your teeth. To remove this film, we must brush our teeth twice daily. Plaque that isn’t removed daily, hardens into tartar.
Why does tartar need to be removed?
Tartar roughens your tooth enamel. This is also the reason why it discolours your teeth. Not much can adhere to smooth tooth enamel, but more plaque can stick to the rough tartar, as well as dyes from foodstuffs.
Raw tartar makes your teeth appear more yellow in colour. In addition, bacteria can stick to it more easily, which, together with saliva and food remains, form dental plaque. This also then becomes a layer of tartar, creating an annoying vicious circle. If the tartar still isn’t removed, it can grow under the edge of the gums. This is even worse than the discolouration of your teeth because so-called pockets can form. These pockets are cavities between the dentin and the gums, in which bacteria can do their thing undisturbed.
This, in turn, leads to inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and tooth decay.
How to remove tartar (or have it removed).
Traditionally, tartar is removed during dental cleaning by a dental hygienist or dentist. Most people have this done twice a year. The practitioner removes the tartar with a dental hook or an ultrasonic device. Your teeth are then polished to make them completely smooth again, keeping them free of plaque for longer.
However, more and more people are choosing to remove their tartar themselves. One reason is due to the cost of the treatment. Another is that if you keep your teeth whiter, you must immediately remove the first deposits of tartar yourself.
Removing tartar using acids such as vinegar and lemon juice may seem like a good idea, but it’s not. Although acids make the tartar porous and easily removable, they also affect your tooth enamel, making it less smooth and more susceptible to dental plaque and tartar.
Nevertheless, it is possible to remove the initial, visible (supragingival) tartar yourself. Provided you have the right tools and, in the case of a dental hook, a steady hand. Below we’ve listed our top 3 best tartar removal tools.
1. Moist-R Whitening Sponge
The Moist-R Whitening Sponge is designed to remove plaque and other contaminants from your teeth thoroughly. It’s an innovative cleaning method based on the absorption capacity of nano-particles. When they come into contact with water, they form nano-capillary tubes with even greater absorption. Using this sponge, you can easily brush plaque off your teeth.
With the Moist-R Whitening Sponge, you can even remove tartar and stubborn discolourations from your teeth. However, you’ll have to use the sponge more intensively to achieve this.
The advantage of the Moist-R Whitening Sponge is that it’s a soft sponge and not a hard and sharp dental hook. It’s therefore impossible to damage your gums with it, even if you are not very handy.
2. Professional Dental Hook
The Profi Dentist Hook is a complete set of dental instruments, consisting of two stainless steel Dentist Hooks with different ends. In addition to the traditional dental hook ( the same one your dentist uses), it also has a rubber tip, so you can properly clean the edge of the gums well and massage them. The set also includes a mouth mirror, which, just like at the dentist, can’t fog up.
You’ll need a sharp eye and a steady hand to use the dental hook. Be sure to proceed carefully, so you don’t damage your gums.
3. TonsilFresh Dental Hook
The TonsilFresh Dental Hook is also a complete set of 3 dental instruments. It contains two hooks with 4 different ends and a mouth mirror that cannot fog up. The instruments are made of stainless steel and equipped with an anti-slip handle.
You’ll also need to handle this dental hook carefully and have a steady hand.
How to prevent tartar
The better you can prevent tartar, the less it needs to be removed. Remember, less plaque means less tartar.
To achieve this, good basic oral hygiene is essential. Brush your teeth thoroughly for two minutes twice a day. Electric and sonic toothbrushes are slightly better than manual toothbrushes at removing plaque. But the ingredients of your toothpaste are also essential.
RyttPro Toothpaste Lemon & Mint is a mild toothpaste that respects the natural balance in your oral cavity. The toothpaste’s powerful formula is XCS-11. Effectively removes the harmful bacteria that form dental plaque. Furthermore, the toothpaste contains fluoride and hydrated silicon. This remineralises your tooth enamel to protect your teeth against caries (cavities).
Because plaque also settles between teeth, you should clean your interdental spaces daily. Depending on your preference, you can do this with real toothpicks (no cocktail sticks!), dental floss, floss arches or tooth brushes. It’s best to do this before going to sleep.
It’s then a good idea to rinse your mouth with mouthwash to wash away the last traces of dental plaque. As with your toothpaste, it’s better to avoid mouthwash containing aggressive ingredients such as alcohol, antiseptics and nasty chemicals.
RyttPro Oral Rinse, like the accompanying toothpaste, effectively combats harmful bacteria whilst respecting and supporting the balance of your oral flora.
RyttPro Toothpaste and RyttPro Oral Rinse both have a pleasant mint-lemon flavour, immediately giving you fresh breath and a clean mouth.
Take care of your teeth between brushing your teeth throughout the day with dental care chewing gum. Moist-R Hydrating Chewing Gum is a healthy chewing gum containing xylitol. It protects your teeth, cares for your gums and stimulates the salivary glands. The xylitol prevents the harmful bacteria in the mouth from attaching to your tooth enamel and forming dental plaque. If you don’t like chewing, choose Moist-R Xylitol tablets for Dry Mouth.
Finally
Try to remove as much plaque as possible to prevent tartar from depositing on your teeth. But for most people, despite good care, tartar will eventually build up.
If you remove tartar yourself with a dental pick, be careful. Even if you’ve become skilled at it, let your dentist or dental hygienist perform a dental cleaning occasionally, even if it’s only to check for possible sub-gingival tartar under your gums. If you have any pockets or signs of gum infections, don’t be tempted to tinker yourself. Instead, consult your dentist.
Sources
British Dental Association: Myth busters on brushing your teeth
British Dental Journal: Time to take gum disease seriously