You haven’t been to the dentist in a little while (there’s a pandemic going on after all) and you’ve felt some buildup on your teeth over the last few weeks. You can take care of that yourself right? How hard would it be to just scrape off your own dental tartar?
Well, the answer is that you shouldn’t do it on your own. While you might just luck out and remove that pesky tartar without damaging anything inside your mouth, the risks aren’t worth it.
The bottom line: Scraping your teeth is a great practice, but should only be done by a qualified dentist to avoid negative consequences.
Why Do People Even Scrape Tartar Off Of Their Teeth?
Professional scraping of teeth is a common practice in dentistry. Dentists use different tools to clean your teeth. The use of plaque scrapers is to remove plaque from teeth. Every year, medical practitioners create scraping tools that are useable at home. The scraping tools are for correct use only; otherwise, you might end up hurting your teeth and gums.
Dental scrapers are one of the inventions people are using at home without supervision. To clean the tartar off your mouth, the dentists use specific tools in the hospital. These are professional tools that you should not own as an individual. These scraping tools can either be sharp-pointed at the end or curved.
The curved ones are to reach the parts of the mouth that are round-surfaced while cleaning plaque off your gum lines and teeth. These tools, if used at home, can end up harming you or your loved ones.
Removing the plaque from your teeth is a vital and delicate cleaning process. Allowing plaque to accumulate in your mouth will cause harm to the teeth, gums, and mouth. Plaque releases acids to the mouth as it feeds. Because of this, your teeth are vulnerable to cavities and decay. The teeth end up being weaker. Dental cleanings are a good idea if you are looking to do dental fillings.
What Are the Risks of Scraping Off Your Own Dental Tartar?
Doing your scraping at home should only be by using tools that are prescribed by the medical practitioners. Yet, even with all these inventions coming to life, dentists insist on professional scraping at a health facility. Many things can go wrong if you try scraping at home.
• Tooth sensitivity
If you scrape off part of your gums while scraping plaque at home, your teeth begin to be sensitive. Teeth become sensitive to temperature changes from food and drinks. Tooth sensitivity is very uncomfortable. You will not enjoy your favourite food or beverage.
• Gum recession
Most scrapers are sharp at the edges. Improper use might cause damage to your gum tissue that is delicate. Any damage caused to the gum tissue is very painful, and it causes gum recession. Gum recession is an irreversible condition. There is a medication for the condition, but it is unlikely to have the back intact.
• Mouth injuries
Because of the plaque scrapers being sharp, injuries can occur on your tongue, gums, and mouth sides. The mouth full of soft tissues, and that makes it very likely to cause injuries. Scraping plaque off your mouth at home is difficult because you cannot see where the sharp edge of the scrapers goes.
• Tooth and mouth infections
The tartar can go underneath the gums accidentally. You will need medical attention immediately to avoid further complications. Tartar under your gums is highly infectious. This is because plaque scrapers are tools that need high-level training to use, and one slip-up can cause a lot of damages to your mouth.
Use The Appropriate Tools If You Still Want To Try This
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What Could You Do To Work Off That Tartar A Bit More Safely At Home?
Although you should avoid plaque scrapers at home, there are different ways to keep your mouth plaque-free. These are hygienic practices to avoid accumulation and mouth infections caused by plaque. These practices are to be regular and between professional cleaning services from a doctor.
1. Dental flossing
Using dental floss twice a day makes sure you are cleaning every part of your mouth. Dental flossing is ideal because you can barely hurt yourself and your teeth are generally clean.
I remember when I went to the dentist after not going for quite a while. I had quite a lot of tartar built up on my molars, especially on the side surfaces between the teeth.
I asked the hygienist if, I had to choose just one thing, would brushing or flossing do a better job of preventing that tartar. She said flossing. And it wasn’t even that close.
2. Brushing your Teeth
It is advisable to brush your teeth at least twice a day to ensure you have clean teeth and tongue. You should brush your teeth for two minutes each time you do. It is also advisable to brush your teeth after thirty minutes from the time you ate. This reduces the accumulation of tartar and plaque throughout the day.
3. Using a Fluoride Toothpaste
Toothpaste that has fluoride is for the reduction of plaque. This product helps control the buildup of tarter. The toothpaste is ideal for repairing any mouth infections and damage to your teeth. Using this toothpaste protects your enamel from any acidic reactions caused by the presence of plaque.
4. Eat Raw Vegetables and Fruits
Eating vegetables helps your teeth and mouth to stay clean if you cannot access a toothbrush. Do no substitute brushing your teeth with eating raw vegetables; this should only if you have no access to a toothbrush at that time.
5. Mouthwash
This is a liquid that reaches all the parts of the mouth that the toothbrush and toothpaste cannot reach. For you to have a clean mouth all day, it is advisable to rinse your mouth with mouth rinse regularly.
6. Use an Electric Toothbrush
The sonic movements from electric toothbrushes are ideal for cleaning and removing plaque from the mouth easily. For you to have a clean mouth, you should use this toothbrush the same number of times as a regular toothbrush. You can use this toothbrush as a replacement for the normal toothbrush.
How to Safely Remove Plaque and Tartar
If you suspect buildup in tartar and plaque even after practicing the oral hygiene methods shared above, you need to seek medical attention. The dentist qualifies to assist you in case any plaque, tartar, or any other infection is affecting you.
The doctor will then tell you if you need professional plaque removal. By doing this, you avoid the injuries discussed above. You should also schedule bi-annual appointments with a dentist to get oral hygiene checkups.
By doing these checkups, you reduce the chances of getting plaque building up in your mouth. You should not neglect oral health, and you should take it as seriously as body health.
Remember, any of the oral hygiene activities done at home without the approval of a doctor might end up costing you more than going to the clinic. Always seek medical attention if your teeth feel sensitive.
Scraping your teeth on your own makes it difficult for doctors to solve the problem if it becomes serious.
