Tartar buildup can be annoying, but the good news is that you don’t always need to see a dentist to get rid of it.
While professional cleanings are undoubtedly the gold standard in maintaining oral health, there are several effective, at-home methods to significantly reduce tartar buildup and maintain a cleaner, healthier mouth. Let’s look at some ways that can help you keep your mouth clean.
What Tartar Is, How It Forms, and Why It’s Important to Get Rid of It
Dental calculus, or tartar, is plaque that hardens on your teeth when you don’t clean it off in time. After you eat or drink, plaque, a sticky layer of bacteria, naturally forms. If you don’t take care of it right away, it can quickly harden into tartar. Tartar not only makes your teeth look bad with yellow or brown stains, but it also holds bacteria that can cause more serious dental problems like gum disease and tooth decay.
The brown or yellow stains on your gums or between your teeth are signs of tartar. It can also make your teeth feel rough and even make your breath smell bad. The real worry is that once tartar is there, it’s hard to get rid of without professional tools. But don’t worry—if you make the right habits a part of your daily life, you can get rid of tartar buildup very quickly.
The most important thing you can do to stop tartar is to brush and floss.
Brushing and flossing are the best ways to keep tartar from building up on your teeth. You can greatly lower plaque and stop it from turning into tartar by brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day and flossing once a day. Brushing is like wiping away dirt before it gets stuck. It gets harder to clean if you wait too long.
Brushing advice:
To protect your enamel, use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
- Brush for at least two minutes, making sure to get every surface of every tooth, especially along the gumline where tartar likes to build up.
- Floss daily to clean the spaces between your teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach.
- This routine is very good at keeping plaque away and stopping tartar from forming in the long run.
Mouthwash: The Secret to a Cleaner Mouth
Mouthwash is a great addition to brushing and flossing, but it doesn’t take the place of them. After brushing your teeth, using an antiseptic mouthwash can help kill bacteria and lower the chance of plaque building up, which eventually turns into tartar. Some mouthwashes have ingredients that help break down plaque before it can harden into tartar, which is a very helpful layer of protection.
You can also use mouthwash to rinse your mouth and make it feel fresh. This is an easy way to protect your gums from getting inflamed. To keep your mouth from getting dry, just make sure to use a mouthwash that doesn’t have alcohol in it.
Natural Remedies: Easy Ways to Keep Tartar Away
There are a few home remedies that can help keep tartar from building up if you want a more natural way to do it. You shouldn’t stop going to the dentist, but these can help you keep your mouth clean in addition to that.
Baking soda is an unexpectedly good choice.
Sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, is a little rough, which helps get rid of surface stains and stop plaque from turning into tartar. Mix a little baking soda with water to make a paste, then use it to gently brush your teeth. Baking soda is also alkaline, which means it cancels out acids in your mouth. This helps keep plaque from hardening.
White Vinegar Rinse: Making Tartar Softer
If tartar is already building up, white vinegar may help soften it. If you mix two tablespoons of white vinegar with warm water and use it as a mouthwash, it will help break down tartar over time. But be careful when using this method because vinegar is acidic, and too much of it can hurt your tooth enamel.
Coconut oil pulling: an old way to clean your mouth
Oil pulling is an old Ayurvedic practice that involves moving oil around in your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes. Coconut oil is especially good for you because it kills bacteria. You can help get rid of bacteria and plaque by swishing coconut oil around in your mouth. It can be a useful part of your routine, but it shouldn’t replace brushing.
Other Tips: How to Avoid Tartar by Changing Your Habits
There are a number of things you can do every day, in addition to brushing, flossing, and using a natural remedy now and then, to keep your teeth free of tartar.
Chewing gum without sugar is an unexpected way to fight tartar
Chewing sugar-free gum, especially after meals, can make your mouth produce more saliva, which helps wash away food particles and bacteria. This extra saliva is your mouth’s natural defence against plaque formation, so consider keeping some gum handy for an after-meal boost to your oral hygiene routine.
Eat Tartar-Preventing Foods
Some foods can help keep tartar from building up by cleaning your teeth while you eat. For example, apples, carrots, and celery are crunchy fruits and vegetables that can help remove plaque on their own. On the other hand, foods that are high in sugar or starch make bacteria grow and form plaque, so you should eat less of them.
Table: Key Tips to Prevent and Remove Tartar
| Method | Description | Cautionary Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brushing Twice a Day | Use fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque and prevent tartar. | Brush gently to avoid damaging enamel. |
| Flossing Daily | Removes plaque and food particles between teeth. | Be gentle to avoid gum injury. |
| Mouthwash | Kills bacteria and reduces plaque buildup. | Use alcohol-free mouthwash to prevent dryness. |
| Baking Soda | Scrubs away surface stains and prevents plaque buildup. | Use sparingly to avoid enamel damage. |
| White Vinegar Rinse | Softens tartar for easier removal. | Use in moderation to avoid enamel erosion. |
| Coconut Oil Pulling | Swishing coconut oil helps reduce bacteria and plaque. | Follow with brushing to maintain cleanliness. |
What Not to Do: Don’t Try This at Home
There are some great home remedies, but you should stay away from some DIY methods that can do more harm than good. For example, using dental picks or other sharp tools to scrape tartar off your teeth can hurt your gums or enamel very badly. Also, using too many rough things like baking soda can wear down the enamel on your teeth over time.
A gentle, regular routine that includes brushing, flossing, and using natural remedies every now and then is always the best way to keep tartar at bay.
A Whole-Person Approach to Oral Health
You can get rid of tartar at home, but you have to take care of your teeth and do it the right way. Brushing and flossing your teeth every day, along with using natural remedies from time to time, can help keep tartar from building up and keep your mouth healthy overall. But it’s important to remember that these methods should not take the place of professional dental care. You still need to get professional cleanings to get rid of stubborn tartar and keep your smile looking its best.
You can keep your teeth clean and your gums healthy until your next visit to the dentist by getting into good habits and using these at-home methods.
The American Dental Association has more tips for keeping your mouth healthy.
