It’s a well-known fact that taking care of our teeth requires us to floss and brush them properly every day, as well as visiting the dentist regularly for check-ups. Failing to do these things can wreak havoc on our dental health: in particular, tartar can form when plaque is left unattended on gums and teeth. Here’s how to remove tartar from your teeth and prevent oral diseases:
Why is tartar considered harmful?
Tartar is harmful, hard, and porous. The latter characteristic can result in the build-up of harmful bacteria, which causes gum disease, cavities and the loss of teeth. If tartar is not removed, it keeps on accumulating and calcifying. Furthermore, tartar damages tooth enamel and increases the risk of developing gum disease. It can even lead to severe diseases such as gingivitis, as well as impact bone health, causing bone degeneration.
How do you remove tartar from teeth and gums using home remedies?
In many instances, tartar requires professional help to remove. Dentists remove tartar in a process called scaling. It can be rather painful, and they have to be very careful when undertaking the process. Nevertheless, there are various home remedies you can try in order to remove tartar.
1. Brush your teeth correctly
Use a soft-bristle toothbrush for brushing and brush your teeth at all angles over all tooth surfaces so that your teeth are thoroughly cleaned. Always hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gums and brush after each meal.
2. Use fluoridated toothpaste
Fluoridated toothpaste is great for increasing the concentration of fluoride in the teeth, and this results in strengthened teeth and a decreased risk of developing dental cavities. Teeth with strong enamel are less likely to suffer from your consumption of acidic foods and drinks. Fluoridated toothpaste is great for re-mineralizing areas affected by decay and protects them from the bacteria responsible for tartar formation.
Dedicated tartar control toothpaste also exists, and they contain numerous chemical ingredients such as pyrophosphates, zinc citrate, fluoride, and others. These ingredients prevent tartar build-up on your teeth. Some of these toothpastes also contain triclosan, an antibiotic that’s responsible for killing certain harmful oral bacteria.
4. Brush with a baking soda mixture
Combine a tablespoon of baking soda with a pinch of salt. Wet your toothbrush slightly and dip it into the baking soda mixture. Scrub your teeth with the mixture and rinse it off. This will help remove tartar, as well as whiten your teeth.
5. Use aloe vera gel and glycerin scrub
Add half a cup of baking soda to a cup of water, together with 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel, 10 drops of lemon essential oil and 4 teaspoons of vegetable glycerin. Mix all the ingredients together and store the liquid in a suitable container. Use it to scrub your teeth daily to remove tartar.
6. Orange peel
You can also try rubbing orange peels directly onto your teeth. Leave the residue on your teeth overnight without rinsing it off. You can even try making the peels into a paste and applying it onto your teeth. Doing so helps fight tartar from forming microorganisms in the mouth, and is also a cheap way of whitening teeth.
7. Eat fruit and vegetables
To supplement your dental health efforts, you can munch on apples, muskmelon, carrots, or celery sticks. Chew these fruits or vegetables one hour after meals to clean your teeth naturally. Doing this will also strengthen your gums.
8. Chew sesame seeds
Slowly chew a handful of sesame seeds, but don’t swallow them. Brush your teeth with a dry toothbrush with the chewed sesame seeds still in your mouth. Doing this will clean and polish your teeth, as well as help to remove the tartar.
9. Eat figs
Eat three to four figs at once and chew them together slowly. This will stimulate your salivary glands, thus increasing the secretion of saliva, which cleanses your teeth by removing plaque and tartar.
10. Use an electric toothbrush
Electric toothbrushes are better for brushing your teeth than manual ones are. They help to remove tartar and keep your teeth looking bright. In fact, dentists recommend this kind of toothbrush as the best way of keeping teeth clean and tartar-free.
11. Floss regularly
Flossing is essential for ensuring that the gaps between your teeth remain plaque-free. You should floss after gargling to prevent the formation of tartar and maintain good oral hygiene. Remember that flossing also cleans the gums, keeping cavities and diseases away.
12. Gargle with antiseptic oral cleanser or peroxide solution
Combine one tablespoon of antiseptic mouthwash with three tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Gargle with 10ml of the solution for one minute. This will oxygenate the edges of your gums as well as the surface of your teeth, which helps to loosen and remove tartar. Use these liquids to gargle after each meal, or at the very least, once a day.
13. Use a dental pick
Pick up a dental pick at the store to remove hardened tartar from your teeth. Gently scrape the tartar out, spit and rinse your mouth when cleaning. Use a dental pick with care, because if you’re too vigorous with it, you may develop a gum infection.
14. Eat spicy food
Removing tartar can be as simple as eating some spicy food. Salsa, for instance, can increase the secretion of saliva by stimulating the salivary glands. This excess saliva will help to clean your teeth and gums.
Tips for preventing tartar on your teeth
Content and image source: Style Craze
Cover image by Deposit Photos.
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