You’ve probably noticed that after a dental appointment your teeth look bright and shiny, however, over time, they become yellowish or brownish. This is because plaque, a sticky substance, is building up on your teeth and allowing bacteria to stick to your teeth and gums. When it hardens, it’s called tartar or dental calculus. This substance can cause serious damage to your oral health. The good news is there are many ways to get rid of tartar from the comfort of your own home. These ways of fighting back against tartar that has already formed are all natural and easy to do with materials that are readily available.
What is Tartar?
Tartar is the hard calcified deposits that form and coat the teeth and gums. It is formed when the bacteria that is naturally occurring in the mouth mixes with remnants of food particles to form a sticky film known as plaque. When plaque is left untreated, it hardens and discolors, forming into tartar.
Tartar is terrible for the teeth and gums. It is not only unsightly, but leads to the decay of teeth by building up and growing bacteria which eat away at the lining of the teeth known as enamel.
Tartar is usually yellow-brown in color and forms when plaque, which is colorless, remains uncleaned from teeth for an extended period of time. This process takes about two weeks, but some who are more preconditioned to tartar build-up may experience it in a much shorter time frame.
What is more, tartar can be a cosmetic problem, too. Since it’s very porous, drinking beverages such as coffee and tea may lead to tartar becoming darker and your teeth losing their brightness.
How do I Know if I Have Tartar Buildup?
Unlike plaque, which is a colorless film of bacteria, tartar is a mineral buildup that’s fairly easy to see if above the gumline. The most common sign of tartar is a yellow or brown color to teeth or gums. The only way for sure to detect tartar — and to remove it — is to see your dentist.
Getting Rid of Plaque and Tartar at Home
While home remedies should never be used as a substitute for proper dental treatment, there are some methods that have proved very effective. Oral care doesn’t have to be fancy and it most assuredly doesn’t have to come out of an overpriced box from the pharmacy. Eliminating tarter is not only necessary for a white smile, but also for keeping teeth strong and healthy for a long time.
It can be done from the comfort of your own home, with ingredients you probably already have on hand. All of these natural methods can be performed using foods and material found at your local stores and don’t require a lot of extra work. So there’s no excuse not to clean those chompers. The following section will outline some of these methods in more detail.
Careful and Sustained Brushing
There are no surprises here; brushing is the number one treatment for plaque prevention. If you brush properly after every meal (wait half an hour after eating), you can significantly reduce your chance of developing unsightly tartar patches. You need to be brushing for three minutes, with an even amount of pressure, and covering every part of your mouth.
Using Fluoridated Toothpaste
There is a very good reason why commercial toothpaste recipes almost always contain fluoride. This substance strengthens the tooth enamel and lessens the risk of decay from acidic foods and drinks. In fact, it actually helps decayed teeth to heal and regenerate. The only problem is that this process occurs too slowly for brushing alone to prevent cavities. You also need to eat a healthy diet and steer clear of sugary snacks.
Buying Tartar Control Toothpaste
If you are prone to developing tartar patches or are worried about plaque, pick up a tartar control toothpaste variety. They contain a concoction of ingredients designed to battle against crusty build ups in the mouth. In some cases, they also contain triclosan. This is an antibiotic substance that can kill off a number of bacteria strains.
Sesame Seed
Sesame seed can function as an effective tooth scrub. The seeds, known as sesame seeds, can get rid of plaque and tartar without damaging tooth enamel. Chew a handful of sesame seeds, then brush your teeth without using toothpaste, with seeds still stored in your mouth. After five minutes, gargle and remove the seeds cleanly from your mouth.
You can also Take an old toothbrush (dry) and brush your teeth while the seeds are still in your mouth. They will act as a scrub and delicately scour the surface of stained teeth.
Oil pulling with coconut oil
Oil pulling is an easy way to remove bacteria from the mouth and improve oral health. Coconut oil is ideal for oil pulling because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Coconut oil also contains lauric acid, a fatty acid with antimicrobial properties.
To oil pull, a person should:
- Place 1 tablespoon of warm coconut oil in the mouth.
- Swish the coconut oil around the mouth for 5–10 minutes.
- Spit out the coconut oil into a trash can or a paper towel.
A person should avoid spitting the coconut oil into the sink, as it may clog the pipes. Other effective oils for oil pulling include:
- olive oil
- almond oil
- sesame oil
Mixing Aloe Vera and Glycerine
The benefits of aloe vera gel have been praised for decades, but did you know that it can also be used to keep teeth free from plaque? Take a cup of water, combine it with half a cup of baking soda, and a teaspoon of aloe vera gel. Then, add a healthy dose of lemon essential oil and four teaspoons of a vegetable glycerine. Now, scrub your teeth with the formula and wake up to a shiny set of gnashers in the morning.
Removing Tartar with Baking Soda
For an added teeth whitening and tartar fighting mixture, try shaking some baking soda onto a wet toothbrush and thoroughly scrubbing both teeth and gums. Leave the baking soda on for at least fifteen minutes before rinsing.
While not exactly tasty, baking soda can neutralize harmful acids from things like sodas and foods while also killing bacteria and whitening teeth naturally.
White Vinegar to Remove Tartar
Using white vinegar is another method that can cut through tartar. Start by mixing white vinegar in a glass of warm saltwater. This solution can then be gargled once a day to aide in the removal of tartar that has formed on the region between the teeth and gums.
The mixture should be made from two tablespoons of white vinegar into a cup of warm water with dissolved salt. The acetic nature of the white vinegar means that this method is very effective in killing unwanted bacteria and preventing infection.
Using Orange Peels for Tartar
Orange peels are also a great way to get rid of tartar. This is easy to do as you just take the inside of an orange peel and rub it along the teeth and gum areas. Another method is used by making a paste from the mashed bits of the inside of the peel and mixing them with water.
This paste can then be applied to the teeth with a toothbrush. The vitamin C and antimicrobial properties of the orange peel cuts through caked on tartar and plaque, as well as killing microbial growth on teeth.
fresh fruits and vegetables
Because they promote vigorous chewing, and thus saliva production, these foods can help wash away some of the bacteria in your mouth that produce plaque. Same goes for sugar-free chewing gum.
Green Tea
A stusdy found that drinking green tea may reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth. If you don’t want to drink tea, try a mouthwash that has tea in it.
Enjoying Plenty of Figs
You would be surprised at how many natural home remedies there are for plaque removal. For example, did you know figs are great at fighting bacteria and other nasties on teeth? You just have to eat a handful (three or four) figs all at the same time. Chew them up slowly and deliberately, to give them as much exposure to the gums and teeth as possible. The chewing will kickstart the salivary glands and, as saliva contains antibacterial properties, this is only ever a bad thing for plaque and tartar accumulations.
Switching to an Electric Brush
There is much debate about whether electric is always better when it comes to brushing. For the most part, it is down to personal choice. However, studies have shown, time and again, that electric brushes are more efficient at removing built up material on teeth.
Always Remembering to Floss
It is common for people to take their brushing very seriously, but then completely disregard the need to floss. As dental industry guidelines state, both are required for a high quality dental care routine. While brushing is great for getting at the surface of tooth enamel, a lot of debris and dirt accumulates in the corners. You simply cannot reach this with a regular brush.
Feasting on Spicy Cuisines
If you are a fan of Indian or Mexican food, you are in luck. According to dental scientists, spicy cuisines are great for reducing plaque and tartar levels in the mouth. They do this by increasing your production of saliva. As we know, salvia is the secret weapon of the oral environment. It washes over teeth and cleanses them of nasty stuff.
Mouthwash
mouthwashes that contain bacteria-fighting ingredients like cetylpyridinium, chlorhexidine, and certain essential oils can fight plaque and tartar.
It’s important to note that these rinses should be used in conjunction with brushing and flossing.
Look for a plaque- or tartar-control rinse with the ADA Seal of Approval, and follow the manufacturer’s directions (e.g., some specify using the rinse before brushing, others after).
Identifying the Biggest Stains
There is a really easy and clever way to check if you have a plaque build-up on your teeth. Take some food colouring – just the regular stuff found in supermarkets – and add it to a teaspoon of water. You can use this mini mixture as a plaque highlighting solution. However, you are advised to rub a little petroleum jelly on your lips first to avoid stains. You only need to gargle with the food colouring and then spit it out. You should be left with light patches of colour where the most stubborn plaque accumulations are; concentrate brushing here.
Preventing Tartar
While you’re still dealing with plaque, there are a few things you can do to reduce the chances for tartar build-up.
- You should brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss if you can. Establishing a dental routine will help a lot in minimizing the chances for tartar building up in your mouth. Pick a great toothbrush and paste, making sure it’s a fluoride one. Talk to your dentist and see if they have a suggestion on what products to use to improve your dental hygiene.
- Avoiding sugary and acidic food and drinks can help your teeth stay clean longer. This is important because the chances for bacteria forming and multiplying in your mouth are lower. Make sure to eat a bunch of fresh fruit and veggies and drink lots of water.
- Regularly visit your dentist to make sure you’re on the right track. Although you’ve established a great routine at home, your dentist will tell you if there’s something else to pay attention to and, if it’s necessary, they will know how to remove tartar from your teeth easily. Going in for a cleaning and fluoride treatment on a regular basis is a great aide when it comes to fighting off tartar and plaque. It is also important to get checked for cavities and possible gum diseases to catch more serious issues before they culminate into larger problems.
Tartar can really affect your dental health and cause serious issues. Since there is no way to safely remove it at home, working on tartar prevention and visiting your dentist on a regular basis are the best ways to get rid of it securely and effortlessly.
