Are you wondering how to improve your dental health? You might have been heard of tartar but don’t really know what it is or what to do about it. Preventing tartar is essential if you want to minimize dental health issues. If you want to learn more, please keep reading. You can set up a free consultation with our Amherst dentist right away. Give us a call. We would be happy to get you in our appointment book right away.
What is Tartar?
Tartar in the teeth would have once been plaque. You have bacteria that are naturally occurring in your mouth. When that natural bacterium meets the food that you have on or between your teeth, it can harden and turn into plaque.
Plaque that does not get removed from your teeth can calcify into tartar. Once it hardens, you cannot get rid of it without seeing a dentist.
The danger of tartar is that it is erosive to your tooth enamel. It will eat away at your tooth until it is decaying and eventually infected. When you don’t treat tooth infection, it can cause a tooth abscess that can be life-threatening without seeing a dentist.
What Can I Do to Prevent Tartar?
Preventing tartar sounds simple. Keep your teeth clean. If you do not take care of your teeth, getting plaque is all too easy.
You can avoid sticky foods before bed. For example, if you go to bed with candy stuck to your teeth, that can turn into plaque. Also, when you do not floss or brush away food before going to bed, plaque can also happen.
You should be brushing and flossing your teeth regularly. We encourage you to take care to brush all four quadrants of your teeth to make sure you are getting each and every tooth clean. When you floss, you should make sure you are cleaning between every single tooth on both sides of the tooth.
If you regularly miss spots when brushing or flossing, plaque can build up and harden, turning into tartar.
Going to the dentist regularly is important. During a bi-yearly cleaning, your dentist can remove tartar that has formed on the tooth if they find it. If it is found early enough, it can help prevent damage to your enamel which can save you from a whole host of uncomfortable dental issues such as cavities, root rot, or gingivitis.
Call Our Amherst Dentist Today
If you want to learn more about preventing tartar or you think you have some that need to be taken care of by a dentist, please do not hesitate to call our office right away. Tartar left untreated can become dental emergencies. We would be glad to take your call today and get you set up with an appointment.
