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What is dental calculus?
Dental (stone) calculusis a calcified or Calcified plaque and deposits, formed by the gradual deposition of mineral salts in saliva or crevicular fluid. Once formed, it cannot be removed by brushing. Calculus and plaque adhering to the surface of calculus are < strong>The primary culprit.
Tooth calculus itself will irritate the gums, and bacterial toxins will cause inflammation of the gums, periodontal tissue, abscesses and swelling. The alveolar bone resorbs, eventually causing the tooth to loosen and fall out.
Bounded by the gingival margin, according to the location of calculus deposition, it is divided into supragingival calculus and Subgingival calculus.
Supragingival calculus, also known as saliva,located in the clinical dental crown. Above the gingival margin, can be seen directly by the naked eye. Yellow or white, or dark from smoking or food coloring. Generally larger in volume, especially on the tooth surface corresponding to the opening of the salivary gland duct, such as the buccal surface of the maxillary first molar and the lingual surface of the mandibular anterior teeth.
Subgingival calculus, also known as blood stone, deposits under the gingival margin, invisible to the naked eye It needs a probe to find it, and it can sometimes be seen on X-rays. Subgingival calculus is brown or black, smaller and harder than supragingival calculus, and generally adheres more firmly to the tooth surface than supragingival calculus. Most of the subgingival calculus is located in the periodontal pocket, usually extending from the cementumenamel boundary to the bottom of the periodontal pocket.
What is the danger of dental calculus?
Dental calculus is one of Important pathogenic factors, mainly manifested in:
① The calculus itself is hard Rough, mechanically irritating the gums;
②the surface of calculus often accumulates plaque, which stimulates the gums and causes inflammation;
< span>③ The porous structure of dental calculus is easy to absorb a large amount of bacterial toxins;
④ dental calculus The existence of gingival sulcus will make it difficult to clean the plaque in the gingival sulcus, forming a vicious circle.
Since dental calculus poses a serious threat to oral health, what should we do? As the so-called “prevention before it happens”, brushing is a simple and effective way to prevent calculus formation. However, brushing generally only removes about 70% of plaque, so it needs the assistance of other cleaning tools such as dental floss, interdental brush, etc. In order to achieve a good cleaning effect, minimize the deposition of plaque and soft scale to prevent the formation of dental calculus.
However, tartar once formed cannot be removed by brushing. Due to long-term smoking or consumption of dark-colored beverages, some pigment may also be attached to the teeth. Over time, the deposition of pigment is especially obvious, causing serious adverse effects on the aesthetics and health of teeth. Therefore, We need to clean our teeth to remove calculus and prevent oral diseases. Generally speaking, It is best to go to a professional dental clinic for cleaning for six months to one year. Routine oral maintenance and regular teeth cleaning are essential.
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In addition, due to the strong viscosity and high sugar content of fine food, it is easy to remain on the tooth surface. Therefore, the intake of fine food such as biscuits and cakes should be reduced. , In particular, it is forbidden to eat before going to bed; after eating, you must brush your teeth and rinse your mouth. These kinds of foods that are not easy to clean and contain high sugar content, long-term consumption and careless cleaning, the accumulation of soft scale will not only easily form dental calculus, but the plaque on the tooth surface will also lead to dental caries. Therefore, it is very necessary to develop daily oral hygiene habits such as brushing teeth and gargling.
Before cleaning, the doctor will check the oral cavity. In the basic situation, because some patients have severe caries and periodontal disease, they need to be treated before cleaning. Supragingival scaling refers to the removal of supragingival calculus, plaque and pigment with special instruments, and grinding of the tooth surface to delay the re-deposition of plaque and calculus. Supragingival calculus often extends into the gingival sulcus or periodontal pocket and connects with the subgingival calculus, so the calculus in the gingival sulcus should be removed at the same time during scaling. When the bleeding decreases, do subgingival scaling again. After cleaning the teeth, the original tartar-covered roots will be exposed. If not treated in time, the patient will suffer unbearable pain. For some patients with mild to moderate periodontitis, the doctor will use topical medication and provide corresponding treatment suggestions. After cleaning the calculus, the surface of the teeth will be polished to restore the smoothness of the teeth and delay the formation of calculus.
Source:
Published by People’s Health Publishing House “Guidelines for Dental Care – Dental Secrets Only Dentists Know”
Editor-in-chief of this book:Yu Haiyang
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