Don’t ignore dental stone, don’t compromise your health

Tooth stones and cleaning are one of the most misunderstood topics in dental health. In fact, so much so that almost everything known on this subject is either completely wrong or incomplete… Dentist B. Koray Kendir explained the importance and treatment of dental stone with the questions most frequently asked by patients.

How and why does dental stone form?
Dental stones; It is a natural result of what we consume in our daily diet, oral microorganisms and saliva hardening and accumulating over time. Brushing more effectively can slow down the stone formation process but cannot prevent it. Tartar formation is not something to worry about. The important thing is to clean the tartar at regular intervals and not allow it to compromise oral hygiene.

Are dental stones dangerous for our health?
The amount of dental stones is the most determining factor here. Stone formation generally occurs between the teeth, behind the lower front teeth where saliva is more exposed in the mouth, and in hard-to-reach areas that we cannot brush. What we need to do is to be aware of these, ensure more effective brushing and clean the interfaces with dental floss. As the amount of tartar increases, it causes problems such as bad breath, gum recession and bone loss due to it, and since its surface is rough, it creates a host for new caries due to bacterial retention.

What are the effects of dental stones on our general health?
Tooth stones do not only cause local problems in the mouth; It also causes too much bacteria to be present in the mouth. This makes the person more prone to infections. This is so important that in cases requiring delicate surgical procedures, patients are directed to the dentist before the procedure and treatment of bacterial foci in the mouth is requested. As a precaution, oral hygiene should be kept at a high level to avoid the devastating effects of infectious diseases.

Does having dental stones cleaned damage teeth?
Again, contrary to popular belief, we do not clean with the same tools we use to clean cavities. We use specially produced devices for cleaning that do not harm teeth when used with the correct technique and force.

How often should cleaning be done?
The answer to this question varies depending on the person’s eating and cleaning habits, and genetic differences such as the structure and flow rate of saliva. The average person needs to have dental scaling twice a year. After one or two applications, the tartar formation rate is recorded by the dentist and the cleaning frequency is determined between four months and one year.

What are the stages of cleaning?
First, the lip edges are moistened. Stones are cleaned with ultrasonic cleaners. With special devices called Air-flow, stains such as tea, coffee and cigarettes are removed from the teeth with the help of pressure without contacting the teeth. Teeth are polished with special cleaning pastes, which is the most important step for the cleaning to remain effective for a longer time. The interface is cleaned with dental floss. Fluoride is applied to the gums to heal faster and to create a protective layer against decay. All these processes take about 30-45 minutes. A control session is held three to seven days later. The healing of the gums is checked and a polish is applied again for shine.