Regardless of whether you schedule a tartar removal appointment every year or every two years, it’s one of those little health rituals that both the government and your dentist highly recommend.
This procedure entails various techniques aimed at eliminating dental plaque residue to prevent it from hardening and turning into tartar. This full professional cleaning is essential for ensuring good oral hygiene.
You may be wondering, however, if tartar removal requires a visit to your dentist’s office. Keep reading to learn more about this service. You’ll also find some valuable advice regarding your general oral health, including the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease.
Best practices and risks: can you remove tartar yourself?
When we talk about home tartar removal, we’re usually referring to all of those good little habits you can adopt on a daily basis to reduce the buildup of dental plaque and the problems it can lead to!
In other words, brushing your teeth after each meal and using dental floss or a water flosser are indispensable actions that should be a regular part of your teeth cleaning routine. The same goes for reducing—or even eliminating—your consumption of tobacco, alcohol and added sugars.
However, despite the effectiveness of good brushing habits or the suitability of more unusual techniques, there’s no substitute for tartar removal at your dentist’s office.
And yes, home tartar removal does pose certain risks, including the following:
- You could damage or injure your enamel, your gums or even the roots of your teeth by using products that are inappropriate or overly corrosive.
- The treatment could be incomplete or ineffective, as these home remedies pale in comparison with the wide range of precise, efficient tools that are available at your dentist’s office.
In other words, even though it’s possible to perform reasonable dental upkeep in the comfort of your own home, nothing can beat an examination and cleaning at the dentist!
Top three reasons you should see your dentist for tartar removal
While it might seem obvious, it bears repeating why tartar removal at the dentist’s office is so important. At the end of the day, you’ll minimize your risk of developing cavities, gingivitis and a whole host of other periodontal problems. Here are three excellent reasons to visit your dentist:
- The primary goal is to eliminate dental plaque and tartar, and the team at your dentist’s office are experts at it.
- By detecting any anomalies, including incipient cavities, periodontal disease, defective fillings, oral lesions or infections, your dentist will be in an ideal position to act promptly at the first signs of trouble and prescribe an appropriate treatment.
- Your dentist will examine your teeth, your gums, your tongue, your palate, your throat and the inside of your cheeks, all of which play a crucial role in your overall oral health and well-being.
Finally, you may be wondering if you should go to the dentist once a year or twice a year to have tartar removed from your teeth. The answer to this question depends on numerous factors, such as your general and oral health, your age, any medications you might be taking, your oral hygiene and more.
To get all the facts, sound advice and a detailed explanation of the care you’ll receive, you can count on the rigor and transparency of the team at Clinique Dentaire Charles Trottier. There’s no doubt that they’ll give you more than just three reasons to come for a visit!
Sources:
Dentisterie Hanok. Nettoyage dentaire : à quelle fréquence faut-il vraiment faire un détartrage? [Teeth cleaning: how often should you really have tartar removal performed?] 2024.
Chez le dentiste. Pourquoi doit-on aller chez le dentiste périodiquement? [Why should you go to the dentist regularly?] 2024.
Ma santé bucco-dentaire. Comment éliminer le tartre des dents? [How to remove tartar from your teeth] 2023.
