How do your teeth feel when you roll your tongue over them? Is it smooth like porcelain, or is it rough? If it’s the latter, chances are that you have tartar buildup.

Tartar, also called calculus, is plaque that has hardened on your teeth. Plaque is a film of colorless bacteria that sticks to your teeth like a needy boyfriend or girlfriend. Bad oral hygiene habits cause plaque to build up and tartar to eventually collect above your gum line, which provides more sticky surfaces for plaque to grow on that again collect tartar. It’s a vicious cycle.

Not only is tartar a plaque magnet, but also a stain magnet. It absorbs stain from coffee, tea or smoking so easily that over time, it paints your teeth a strange kind of yellow or brown – colors that kindergarten kids do not usually associate with teeth. This may create self-esteem issues especially when people start to compliment you for such an authentic-looking pirate costume (with matching pirate breath).

This plaque-and-tartar partnership doesn’t just push people away, feeding personal insecurities, but also spawns more serious health issues as well, such as cavities and gum disease that at its worst leads to tooth loss. Yes, tartar is stickier than we give it discredit for, also because you can’t remove tartar yourself. But you can keep it from causing all that mess. Begin by going to your dentist, because only a dentist can remove tartar with a process called scaling. The dentist or hygienist uses special instruments to remove tartar from your teeth and below the gumline.

Your responsibility continues outside your dentist’s office with preventing tartar from coming back. All you need to do is to practice good oral hygiene habits – brush at least twice a day with fluoride or tartar control toothpaste, floss daily – and see your dentist regularly every six months. That’s not too much to do if you want to tick “mouth,” “teeth” or “gums” off your insecurity list.

Without plaque and tartar drawing bacteria and disease to your mouth, your teeth and gums will be happier than ever – and you can confidently draw more people to you and your healthy smile.

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