How to remove plaque in three simple steps

Plaque on teeth – and subsequently tartar if you don’t remove plaque quickly – contains bacteria. Both plaque and tartar need swift and regular removal to keep your teeth and gums healthy in the long run. 

If the plaque doesn’t get removed, it can lead to not only damaged enamel and tooth decay, but also the development of gum disease.² 

Here is our simple three-step guide on how to remove plaque at home:

• Brush your teeth regularly. Brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day. On each occasion, you should brush for a minimum of two minutes using the correct toothbrushing technique. Additionally, ensure you change your toothbrush at least every three months.³ 
  
• Use dental floss. Since plaque gathers mainly in the interdental spaces,⁴ clean them at least once a day with dental floss.
  
• Use mouthwash. Mouthwash can be extremely useful if you’re looking to remove plaque and attain good oral hygiene. An antibacterial mouthwash can reach all areas in your mouth and tops your daily oral care off.5 To make sure your toothpaste has time to act fully, though, don’t use mouthwash straight after brushing your teeth.²
  

What is tartar? 

It’s important you know what tartar is before we show you how to remove tartar. This is also a key first step in tartar prevention. So, what is tartar on teeth, and how does tartar form?

• Tartar is a solid deposit on the teeth. It’s also known as calculus. Unlike plaque, you cannot remove tartar yourself by simply brushing your teeth, no matter how thoroughly you try. 
• Tartar is simply calcified plaque. How does tartar form? First, inorganic substances in your saliva transform food residues into plaque. If you don’t remove plaque, it will calcify and turn into tartar over the course of a few days.¹
• Tartar is a discoloured, hardened deposit. When plaque is left untreated, the calcification – otherwise known as mineralisation – process causes the soft, sticky plaque to harden and darken in colour. It’s brittle, so you might notice bits of tartar breaking off the back of your teeth. 
• If left untreated, tartar can be the cause of severe illness. If you don’t take steps to remove tartar, it can lead to damage and illnesses such as gingivitis.⁶ As you can’t easily remove tartar at home, you’ll want to talk to your dentist about this.

How to remove tartar

While you can remove plaque easily at home by yourself, choosing to remove tartar at home is not recommended. If you remove tartar yourself, you could damage your teeth and cause injury to yourself. Even if there are pieces of tartar breaking off the back of your teeth already, it’s best not to try to chip off the rest of it.

Instead, here’s how to remove tartar:

• Tartar removal is the duty of your dentist.
• Your dentist removes the tartar with special instruments.
• After the removal, they will give your teeth a polish. 

Although tartar removal can be a little bit uncomfortable, you’ll enjoy your sparkling clean and healthy teeth after it’s done. 

Tartar prevention 

The most obvious way to prevent the build-up of tartar is with thorough oral hygiene. That being said, there are a few additional things that you can do to prevent plaque and the need to remove tartar:

• Reduce your intake of sugary and starchy foods. Plaque finds it easier to form after the consumption of foods such as white bread, sweets and pasta. We all love a treat, however, so if you do eat these foods, ensure you brush your teeth well about an hour afterwards. This will help you prevent plaque and thus prevent tartar. 
• Drink lots of water. Drinking lots of water during and after your meals can dilute the acids created by the bacteria. This in turn can prevent the development of plaque and tartar, as well as tooth decay. 

With just a few simple steps we’ve shown you how quick and easy it is to achieve good dental health, remove tartar and prevent plaque on your teeth. Once you’ve made daily oral care a part of your routine, brushing and rinsing will soon second nature. Using our tips as your guide, you will be rewarded with a sparkling, healthy smile. 

Sources:
¹ Tooth plaque, NHS Great Ormond Street. https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/general-medical-conditions/tooth-plaque/

² Gum disease, NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gum-disease/ 

³ Brushing your teeth, NHS Kent Community Health. https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/leaflet/brushing-your-teeth/

⁴ Worthington et al., Home use of interdental cleaning devices, in addition to toothbrushing, for preventing and controlling periodontal diseases and dental caries, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019(4). https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012018.pub2/full

⁵ Sharda et al., Effectiveness of desensitizing dentifrice and mouthwash on dentin hypersensitivity and tooth remineralization, Contemporary Clinical Dentistry 9(3), 415–420. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6104384/

⁶ Gum disease, NHS Great Ormond Street. https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/conditions-we-treat/gum-disease/