How to remove dental plaque and tartar?

1. What does dental plaque form?

2. What about the formation of tartar?

3. What are the consequences of tartar and dental plaque?

4. How to avoid these two phenomena?

5. Some homemade recipes and tips..

6. The final word

Plaque and tartar are the two sworn enemies of our precious teeth! Many people do not know the difference between dental plaque and tartar. However, to be able to eliminate them optimally, it is essential to know their characteristics, their causes, and how to combat them. 💪

These two substances develop on the surface of the teeth and can damage them if you do not apply the right method, and especially if you do not use the right tools at home (brush, dental floss, mouthwash , etc.). ). ✋

Be careful, these two enemies of our teeth are very well organized, especially since one gives birth to the other, a mother-son relationship. Madame Dental Plaque and Monsieur Tartar have in common that they appear because of the same thing; neglecting hygiene and cleaning your mouth! 😨

So who are they exactly? What's the difference between the two, and getting this nasty duo out of your mouth? 🧐 We explain everything to you.

Like mother, like son, of course, but dental plaque and tartar remain very different. If they are linked by a cause and effect relationship, it is important not to confuse dental plaque and tartar in order to eliminate them. 🤔

Dental plaque is made up of food residue and saliva. It forms on the surface of the tooth, in contact with the foods we eat. She becomes even more aggressive when she meets her sugar friends (when they tell you to go easy on the candy 🍬...). Associated with these, dental plaque becomes acidic and then begins to attack dental enamel (and can accelerate dental erosion ) as well as the gums. 💥

Determined, it is constantly deposited and formed throughout our meals, but you just need to brush your teeth effectively and daily to delay the attack of plaque, and avoid complications (cavities, symptoms of gingivitis , inflammation, etc.). .). Well... until your next meal only... 😣

Yellowish/whitish in color depending on the person, dental plaque appears in the form of a sticky substance on the enamel of the tooth, but also in the spaces between the teeth, and sometimes even under the gums. 👄 This deposit tends to be particularly visible at the edge of the gum.

In order to remove plaque , you need to be thorough when brushing your teeth. 🪥 Indeed, daily brushing using a soft-bristled brush (preferably an electric toothbrush rather than a manual one for better removal of dental plaque), and the use of a suitable toothpaste are good gestures to put all the chances on your side. It is also advisable to complete this cleaning with the use of dental floss and a mouthwash adapted to your needs. 🧪

This cleaning is all the more important because dental plaque contains acids capable of causing cavities , periodontal disease and even leading to more serious cases such as loosening of teeth in certain cases! 😱

Tartar formation begins when dental plaque has not been removed from all corners of our teeth thoroughly enough. 😕 And for good reason! 12 to 48 hours are enough for plaque to react to contact with the minerals contained in our saliva, calcify, solidify, thus giving rise to this very adherent, hard and dry substance that we call tartar . 😷 Be careful, tartar is stubborn, when it attaches to the tooth, and attaches permanently!

In addition, tartar tends to trap stains caused by the foods you consume (coffee, etc.) and can then take on a yellow to brown color , very dark and unsightly, or even gray teeth in some cases. You should not delay in reacting to remove these brown stains on the surface of the teeth . ☕️

Tougher than plaque, daily brushing of your teeth is not enough to remove it once it has taken hold. Only a dentist will be able to dislodge it with good scaling ! 🩺 Scaling is carried out in your dentist's office, which is equipped with the appropriate machines to remove and eliminate tartar in a sustainable and healthy way. Annual scaling is particularly important to maintain a healthy mouth and avoid yellowing of the teeth , and your toothbrush will not be enough to remove this deposit once solidified, and this can give rise to a real sensitivity of the teeth to sugar , to the temperature... Yes, we know, you're not really fans of dentists... But when you have to go, you have to go! 👩‍⚕️

We remind you that descaling at home is a very bad idea and strongly discouraged! It is imperative to go to the dentist.

We warn you, it's not pretty... 🥴

Indeed, plaque and the mouth are full of bacteria which, when encountering the sugars present in the foods that make up our meals, produce nasty acids. Your good oral health is clearly not their goal, since these acids attack the enamel of your teeth and can seriously damage your gums . 🦠

It is then a matter of taking matters in hand, because if this problem is not treated, tartar will set in. You do not like him ? We neither ! 🤬

The accumulation of this tartar can lead to several not very pleasant consequences such as yellowing of the teeth , black dental grooves , cavities, gingivitis and periodontitis , acute periodontitis or even loosening of the teeth. 🤭

However, it is possible to reduce the risks of this disease by knowing the foods to avoid to prevent periodontitis.

Now you know it, but we're going to say it again; tartar cannot be removed by a simple retrospective brush cut: it is therefore time to make an appointment with your great dentist to carry out scaling and help you regain healthy teeth! 😚

Here are 5 simple steps for optimal treatment and prevention of dental plaque and tartar:

1. Visit your dentist every six months for scaling (come on, a little courage - plus it's reimbursed by the social security! 😜).

2. Brush your teeth with an anti-bacterial toothpaste containing fluoride (1450 ppm, no more, no less! ☝️)

3. Floss between each tooth at least once a day to remove food residue and plaque from the gaps 🦷.

4. Use a sonic toothbrush , which will ensure optimal plaque removal, and therefore prevent tartar build-up. (It's the lethal weapon! 🦾) Don't forget to change your brush head approximately every 2 months to prevent bacteria from developing there! 👅

5. Add mouthwash to your oral care. (That's the icing on the cake, plus you 'll have fresh breath !) ⚠️ Be careful though, certain mouthwashes can alter the oral flora, so you have to be careful not to use them too often! (once or twice a week)

• Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide (also called hydrogen peroxide ): slightly abrasive, bicarbonate helps to complete the cleaning of the teeth and to remove the part of dental plaque that has not been properly removed. 🧂

So, in addition to your daily teeth cleaning, it is possible to brush your teeth properly , using baking soda. ⛑

How to do ? It is very simple. Simply place a dab of baking soda on your brush after moistening it with water, then brush your teeth as usual. 👌 Bicarbonate will also help polish the surface of the tooth, making it smoother. This will make it more difficult for plaque to adhere to the teeth.

This method should only be carried out once a week, due to the somewhat abrasive nature of bicarbonate, which can damage the enamel if used excessively. 🤒

• Activated charcoal: If you are a fan of natural remedies , you surely know it for its whitening properties, however activated charcoal also helps regulate digestion, but what interests us most from an oral health point of view is is the ability of activated charcoal to cleanse the mouth through its anti-bacterial action. 🩹
  So, in powder form, you can use it to brush your teeth once a month (no more! ☝️). The method is the same as for bicarbonate; put a dab of activated charcoal powder on your brush previously passed under water, then proceed with classic brushing (2 to 3 minutes). 🪥
  However, this method requires rinsing your mouth thoroughly with water after using the charcoal.

• Lemon: In addition to being very good for overall health, lemon is also a very good asset from an oral hygiene point of view. 🍋 Indeed, its acidity gives it a whitening action , and the citric acid it contains helps fight tartar, partly responsible for yellowing teeth (in addition to being able to cause cavities, gum disease or even bad breath 😵 ‍💫).
  How to use lemon? Gently brush your teeth with a little freshly squeezed lemon juice on your wet toothbrush then rinse with plenty of water. 💧 This will help you keep your teeth healthy and white.
  This operation should only be carried out once a week at most, because the acidity of the lemon helps reduce yellowing due to tartar, but it can also damage tooth enamel if lemon juice is used too frequently. . 🤷‍♀️

To summarize, here is a table that perfectly summarizes the differences between plaque and tartar. ☺️

The key to avoiding plaque and the appearance of tartar therefore lies mainly in you and your good will 😊. Don't forget to brush your teeth at least twice a day, and to take care of your oral hygiene as a whole. To make your task easier, you can also opt to use an electric toothbrush to prevent loosening .

My Variations toothbrushes , thanks to their sonic technology which reproduces the vertical movement of manual brushing at a rate of thousands of micro-vibrations per second, are perfect for eliminating plaque and fighting tartar in a super effective way, and all this without hurting your teeth and keeping gums healthy . The best of the best 🏆!

So try it! I promise, you won't be disappointed! 😋

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