– Taking care of our teeth involves the home care of brushing, interdental cleaning like flossing, and using fluoride mouth rinses.
– Tartar (Calculus) builds up on our teeth following the formation of plaque.
– Once the tartar has been formed, it cannot be removed with the home-care measures, and must be scaled off by a dentist or a hygienist.
– Doing regular cleans by a dentist once every 6 months removes the plaque from areas where home-care measures cannot reach, and also removes the present calculus.
– The calculus and plaque are not only harmful to the teeth, but are the cause of gum problems which can lead to losing teeth.
– The calculus acts like a scaffolding for germs to reach under the gums, where they release toxins destroying the bone around the teeth rendering them weak and unsupported. This is what is called Periodontitis, which is the disease of the tissues around the tooth. The space created by the desolved bone is called a pocket.
– Fluoride has been proven to have many benefits in lowering the chances of tooth decay.