What is dental calculus_How is dental calculus formed

Dental calculus is actually a type of dental plaque, but many friends have never heard of it, so they don’t know much about it. The formation of dental tartar is not a one-time thing, but a long-term accumulation. If you do not clean your mouth for a long time or clean it improperly, it will cause the appearance of dental tartar.

Causes of dental calculus

The speed, shape and hardness of tartar formation vary from person to person. Generally speaking, it takes twelve to fifteen hours for new tartar to form. Rapidly formed tartar is softer and more fragmented than slowly formed tartar. All newly formed dental plaque is soft and will gradually harden after a period of calcification. Therefore, it is easy to remove dental tartar by using oral cleaning or brushing when it is just beginning to form, but it becomes difficult to remove once it has calcified.

Clinical manifestations of dental calculus

Based on the gingival margin and the location of tartar deposition, it is divided into supragingival tartar and subgingival tartar.

Supragingival calculus, also known as salivary calculus, is the calculus located on the clinical crown surface above the gingival margin and can be seen directly with the naked eye. Its mineralized material comes from saliva, so it is often deposited on the tooth surfaces corresponding to the openings of the salivary gland ducts, that is, tartar is easily deposited on the buccal surface of the maxillary first molar corresponding to the opening of the parotid duct, and on the lingual surface of the mandibular anterior teeth corresponding to the openings of the submandibular and sublingual gland ducts. Supragingival tartar is mostly yellow or white, but can also be dark due to smoking or food coloring.

Subgingival calculus, also known as bloodstone, is deposited below the gingival margin and attached to the root surface in the gingival sulcus or periodontal pocket. It cannot be seen directly by the naked eye, but large pieces of subgingival calculus can be shown on X-rays. Its mineralized material comes from gingival sulcus fluid, is generally brown or black, and is more firmly attached to the tooth surface than supragingival tartar.

Dental tartar is formed by the gradual calcification of mineral salt deposits in saliva on the basis of dental plaque on the surface of teeth. Calcification occurs when calcium ions combine with the protein-polysaccharide complex of the intercellular organic matter of dental plaque, and then calcium phosphate crystals are deposited on the intercellular material and bacteria. Calcification occurs and continues along the inner side of the tooth surface where dental plaque is attached, reaching its peak after about a few months. Due to chewing of food, tongue and cheek pressure, etc., dental plaque will not be deposited indefinitely.

The formation of dental calculus is related to the body's metabolism. Factors that affect the deposition of dental calculus include:

1. Not mastering the correct method of brushing teeth or not developing oral hygiene habits such as brushing teeth and gargling.

2. The tooth surface is rough, the teeth are not arranged neatly, and there are restorations that are difficult to clean.

3. It is related to eating habits. If you often eat soft and delicate foods, tartar deposition will be faster. On the contrary, if you consume rough foods, tartar deposition will be hindered.

4. People who consume a lot of sucrose have more plaque formation and more soft tartar deposits.

5. If you consume foods rich in calcium and phosphorus, dental tartar will form faster.

Tartar often occurs on the outer surface of the upper molars and the inner surface of the lower front teeth. Patients with poor oral hygiene will have tartar forming on the inner and outer sides of all teeth and the chewing surfaces. People with the habit of chewing on one side will also have a significant increase in tartar on the unused side. Dental tartar can be divided into supragingival tartar and subgingival tartar. When there is a lot of dental tartar, a piece of it may occasionally break off when eating or brushing your teeth. People who don’t know often think it is a cracked tooth.