Is It Possible to Remove Tartar At Home, Yourself?

Tartar is a progression of dental plaque, which can make your teeth more vulnerable to cavities, gum disease, and gum recession. 

Removing tartar from your teeth is not as simple as brushing harder or flossing more regularly. It is not possible to remove tartar at home or by yourself. You will need to have a professional dental cleaning (scaling) to have tartar completely removed.

What Is Tartar and How Does It Form?

Tartar, or dental calculus, is the hard mineral-like substance that forms on the surface of teeth due to the build-up of bacteria. Tartar is the combination of dead bacteria from poor oral health and proteins in saliva.

As we eat and drink, bacteria naturally collect on our teeth - this sticky film is called plaque. Without regular brushing and flossing, plaque remains on the surface of teeth and gradually hardens into tartar. 

Poor oral hygiene is the most common cause of tartar formation, but having a high sugar intake or a smoking habit can also contribute to the development of tartar.

Can Tartar Be Removed at Home?

No - tartar has developed beyond the point of being able to reasonably remove with good oral health. Tartar cannot be removed by yourself, for two main reasons: 

1. It is too hard to be broken down by tooth brushing or flossing

2. It can form under the gum line

The hardened surface of tartar can only be broken down by specialised dental tools that break apart or scrap tartar off the surface of the tooth. 

Do not attempt to remove tartar using household tools - doing so is ineffective, and more importantly, may cause irreparable damage to your teeth, enamel, and gums. 

Tartar that forms under the gum line is not visible - only a dentist can assess where tartar has formed on your teeth or underneath your gums. This is crucial to ensuring that all traces of tartar are removed. 

How Dental Cleaning Removes Tartar 

During your dental cleaning appointment, your dentist will conduct an assessment of your teeth to determine where tartar has formed. When all affected areas are identified, the dentist uses both ultrasonic and manual scaling tools for the removal process. 

Ultrasonic scaling tools have high frequency vibrations that break apart tartar, while fine-tipped manual scaling tools are used to scrape away tartar in narrow spots. Removed tartar is flushed out of the mouth with water. 

Professional scaling and cleaning can take anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the amount of tartar and the difficulty of removal. Most standard scaling appointments are half an hour.  

How to Determine Whether You Have Tartar

	Tartar	Plaque
Appearance	Hard, calcified, and bumpy texture on the surface of teeth	Slimy or sticky film on the surface of teeth
Stain colour	Darker yellow, brown, or black	Colourless or pale yellow
Time for formation	Within a few days or weeks of poor oral hygiene	Within a few hours
Removal/treatment	Professional dental cleaning	Regular brushing and flossing
Dental risks if left	Periodontitis (severe gum infection), bone loss, tooth loss	Gingivitis (gum disease), cavities

Tartar is visually distinct from plaque and the natural look of teeth - teeth with tartar have hard or calcified bumps on the surface. Tartar also tends to have a deeper yellow colour than plaque - it can also appear brown or black as it becomes discoloured from the food you eat or from the use of tobacco products.  

Consistent bad breath (halitosis) is also another common symptom of tartar formation. The odour is caused by the presence of built up bacteria in the mouth. 

If you notice any signs of tartar formation, book a dental cleaning appointment as soon as possible. Tartar will not break down over time without professional intervention. Leaving tartar untreated will increase the risk of developing more severe dental conditions like periodontitis (severe gum infection), bone loss, and tooth loss. 

Tips to Prevent Tartar From Forming

• Practice good oral hygiene. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of regular tooth brushing and flossing - these help to prevent dental plaque from building up. 

• Avoid smoking. Research shows that using tobacco products leads to an increased risk of poor oral health and tartar formation and puts you at risk of oral cancer.

• Seeing your dentist for regular checkups. A routine dental cleaning once every 6 months is generally sufficient to prevent tartar from getting out of control.