Tartar Control Toothpaste
Tartar refers to mineral deposits on the teeth, both above and below the gums that have hardened. These deposits are easy to recognize since they tend to stain easily, and you may note places on the teeth with brown or yellow stains. These stains are usually not on the teeth themselves but to tartar, also called calculus, buildup. This buildup is distinct from plaque, which is caused by bacteria on the teeth, but both are usually present in the mouths of people who have poor oral hygiene.There are two types of tartar :supragingival and subgingival. Supragingival refers to calculus deposits above the gum, and subgingival to deposits below the gum. Once these deposits form, you can’t remove them yourself, and require a dental cleaning, usually with sharp scraping instruments to get rid of them. Getting rid of these calculus deposits is important, since they can lead to chronically inflamed gums and gum disease, receding gums, and persistent bad breath. Tartar also accelerates plaque formation and helps to hide deposits of plaque, which can in turn create greater risk of periodontal disease.
The easiest way to prevent build-up is to follow standards for daily oral care and for bi-yearly teeth cleaning visits. People should plan to brush their teeth at least twice daily, three times if they can manage it. They should floss twice daily too, and also make and keep appointments to have teeth cleaned twice a year. You can buy tartar control toothpaste, and might consider using it when tartar build-up occurs quickly, even despite good oral hygiene.
Other common risk factors for greater build-up of calculus include smoking, having diabetes, and taking medications that cause dry mouth. Keeping sugar levels under control if you have diabetes may help reduce tartar build-up, and for many health reasons quitting smoking is an excellent idea. Some studies also show that oral buildup and gum inflammation or gum disease in pregnant women may be linked to low birth weight in babies, and also to heart disease.
Tartar Control Toothpaste Work
Tartar control toothpaste cannot remove previous tartar build-up. Only a trained dentist or dental hygienist can scrape away the hardened calcium above and below the gumline. What this toothpaste does is halt the progress of the destructive chemicals responsible for the creation of tartar.
The tartar cycle begins with food. When food particles are allowed to remain on the teeth after eating, bacteria begins to feed on them. These living organisms excrete acids that leech out calcium from tooth enamel, a process called demineralization. Eventually, this process creates cavities and fissures in the tooth. This compound of calcium and acid combines with oxygen to form a substance called calcium phosphate.
A good kind of tartar control toothpaste can work over the course of a couple of days or weeks to get rid of these hard deposits. Do not expect this to take a short amount of time to work. A good regimen with this toothpaste will have to be used. In some cases it may even take more than just one tube of this toothpaste for the entire process to work out right. An important problem with tartar control toothpaste comes from how this is a toothpaste that should not be used by people with sensitive teeth. This toothpaste can contain sodium pyrophosphate. This is an ingredient that is used to fight tartar buildup. This can be a harmful material to people who have sensitive teeth.
It can also work to make normal teeth feel especially sensitive to the touch. This increased sensitivity will generally be temporary. It will still be painful on the teeth. This is an important risk to be aware of when it comes to tartar control toothpaste. Tartar control toothpaste can work with some parts of tartar on one's teeth. However, it is a form of toothpaste that will not be able to work with all areas on one's teeth. It is something that will only work with soft deposits over the gum line. It can also harm sensitive teeth. Be sure to watch for these factors when looking to get this kind of toothpaste to work for one's needs.
Calcium phosphate tends to bond with existing enamel along the gumline and work its way up the tooth. This is the hard, yellowish material that must be scraped away with metal tools. Calcium phosphate will continue to form as long as the cycle of acid production and demineralization remains unchecked. Brushing with regular toothpaste removes the acid deposits and food particles, but the tartar will remain.
This is where tartar control toothpaste enters the picture. Chemists working for the oral care industry discovered that calcium phosphate is an insoluble form of phosphate. This means that existing tartar build-up cannot be dissolved in water. The solution to this problem was to create a form of phosphate that is soluble, and which combines chemically with the destructive calcium phosphate. This active ingredient is called sodium pyrophosphate.
When a toothpaste containing the soluble sodium pyrophosphate is applied to the teeth and gums, a chemical bonding process occurs. Any calcium phosphate that has not yet bonded to teeth is attracted to the sodium pyrophosphate. When the new compound mixes with water, it is completely dissolved. This means that the destructive calcium phosphate destined to form more tartar is instead removed with the rinse water. The toothpaste cannot dissolve tartar that has already bonded with the enamel, but it can stop future deposits from forming.
Some people may experience more tooth sensitivity after using this product, since the enamel layer becomes a little thinner over time. Others may develop canker sores due to the higher sodium content. These toothpastes may also contain bleaching agents for tooth whitening.
How to Get Rid of Tartar
1. Brushing your teeth regularly is one way to avoid and get rid of tartar build-up. Some people might wonder why they still have tartar when they do brush their teeth at least three times a day; this is probably because they don't do it right. Brushing your teeth twice a day isn't enough; you have to brush your teeth for at least two minutes to get rid of those tartar-causing particles. If you smoke or is fond of coffee and colas, you might want to use tartar-fighting toothpaste. Toothpastes that contain pyrophosphate can help prevent teeth discoloration.
2. Floss your teeth regularly. Brushing may help prevent tartar build-up on your teeth's surfaces but most toothbrushes can't reach all those nook and crannies in your teeth-you have to floss them to get to them. So floss always-make it a point to incorporate flossing into your daily dental hygiene routine.
3. Eating too many sweets is a no-no if you want to prevent tartar build-up. But did you know that sweets aren't the only things you should avoid? Coffee and sodas are also bad for your teeth. Smoking is also a no-no. Smoking contains chemicals which build-up on your teeth. In fact, smoking might just be the worst thing you could do for your teeth. So if you want to do away with those tartars, quit smoking.
4. Use disclosing tablets to find out which areas still have tartar build-ups. Disclosing tablets work by highlighting the part of your teeth where there are tartar build-ups by staining them red. And knowing where those tartar are, will definitely help in removing them.
5. Have your dentist clean your teeth regularly. Some people might think that seeing a dentist isn't necessary, as there are a number of products available to get rid of tartar, but a cleaning from the dentist doesn't just remove tartar build-up. Aside from removing tartar, dentists also polish your teeth making t hem smoother, thus making it harder for tartar to adhere to your teeth.
Make sure that you brush, floss, and eat right. And drop by your dentist at least once every six months. Good dental hygiene practices and regular visits to your dentist will keep tartar build-ups at bay.
Any of us encounter a dizzying array of toothpastes in the oral care aisle, from anti-cavity to whitening to tartar control. Some products promise all of the above and more. Tartar control toothpaste helps prevent the unsightly build-up by using a chemical that binds with the tartar and allows it to be dissolved away. From brushing frequently to seeing a dentist every six months, the best tips for tartar control involve proper and daily caring of the teeth. Tartar is the plaque that hardens on teeth at the gum line as well as underneath it.
Myotcstore Related Products:
Eco-Dent Tartarguard Toothpowder, Fresh Mint - 2 ozToms of Maine Natural Antiplaque and Whitening Toothpaste, Peppermint - 1 oz
Arm and Hammer advance white baking soda and peroxide tartar control toothpaste - 6.3 oz
Colgate ToothPaste Tartar Control Whitening Mint - 6.4 Oz