Tartar buildup on children’s teeth is a common concern that many parents face, often discovering hardened yellow or brown deposits during home tooth brushing. At Great Falls Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, our certified pediatric specialists frequently educate families in Great Falls and Havre, Montana, about the crucial difference between plaque and tartar, and why professional removal is the only safe, effective method for eliminating tartar from children’s developing teeth. Understanding what tartar is, how it forms, and most importantly, how to prevent its accumulation empowers parents to protect their children’s oral health.
While many parents search for ways to remove tartar at home, the reality is that tartar—also called dental calculus—can only be safely and completely removed by dental professionals using specialized instruments and techniques. However, understanding tartar formation and implementing effective prevention strategies can minimize buildup and reduce the need for extensive professional cleaning.
Understanding Tartar: What It Is and How It Forms
Before exploring removal methods, it’s essential to understand exactly what tartar is and how it differs from the soft plaque that can be removed through home brushing.
The Difference Between Plaque and Tartar
Plaque is a soft, sticky bacterial biofilm that constantly forms on teeth and can be removed through proper brushing and flossing at home. Tartar, however, is hardened, calcified plaque that has mineralized by absorbing calcium and other minerals from saliva.
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, this mineralization process typically takes 24-72 hours, meaning plaque that isn’t removed promptly through effective oral hygiene hardens into tartar that cannot be eliminated with home care methods.
Once tartar forms, it creates a rough surface that attracts additional plaque accumulation, creating a cycle of buildup that progressively worsens without professional intervention. This rough surface also harbors bacteria at the gum line, increasing risks for both tooth decay and gum disease.
Where Tartar Typically Accumulates
Tartar forms most commonly in areas where saliva glands empty into the mouth, as the minerals in saliva facilitate the hardening process. The inside surfaces of lower front teeth and the outside surfaces of upper back teeth near the cheeks are particularly prone to tartar buildup.
Children with orthodontic appliances often experience increased tartar formation around brackets and wires where thorough cleaning is more challenging. Additionally, tartar accumulates heavily along the gum line where plaque tends to remain if brushing technique is inadequate.
Why Tartar Is Problematic
Beyond being unsightly with its characteristic yellow, brown, or even black appearance, tartar poses serious threats to oral health. The rough surface provides ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive, and these bacteria produce acids that cause tooth decay and toxins that irritate gum tissue.
Tartar buildup above the gum line (supragingival calculus) is visible and primarily affects appearance and tooth decay risk. Tartar that forms below the gum line (subgingival calculus) is more dangerous, as it directly contributes to gum disease by creating chronic inflammation and potentially destroying the bone supporting teeth.
Why Home Tartar Removal Is Not Recommended
Many parents wonder if they can remove tartar at home using various tools or products advertised for this purpose. Our pediatric dentists at Great Falls Pediatric Dentistry strongly advise against attempting home tartar removal for several important reasons.
Risk of Tooth Damage
Tartar bonds tightly to tooth enamel, and attempting to scrape it off without proper training and specialized instruments can easily scratch or chip tooth enamel. Children’s teeth, especially primary teeth, have thinner enamel than adult teeth, making them particularly vulnerable to damage from improper tartar removal attempts.
Scratched enamel creates rough surfaces that actually promote faster plaque and tartar accumulation, making the problem worse rather than better. Additionally, damaged enamel cannot regenerate, meaning any damage from home removal attempts becomes permanent.
Gum Tissue Injury
The tools required to remove tartar are sharp and must be used with precise technique to avoid injuring delicate gum tissue. Without proper training and the ability to see all surfaces clearly, parents attempting home tartar removal risk cutting gums, pushing tartar below the gum line, or causing gum recession.
Injured gum tissue can become infected, may recede permanently, and can create long-term sensitivity problems that affect children’s comfort and oral health.
Incomplete Removal
Even if some visible tartar is removed without causing immediate damage, home removal attempts rarely eliminate tartar completely. Tartar that remains, particularly along and below the gum line, continues causing problems and may be more difficult to remove professionally later.
Professional tartar removal includes thorough cleaning of all tooth surfaces, including areas that cannot be seen or reached without proper positioning, lighting, and professional instruments.
Infection Risk
Non-sterile instruments or improper technique can introduce bacteria into gum tissue or bloodstream, potentially causing infections that range from localized gum abscesses to more serious systemic complications in rare cases.
Professional dental instruments are properly sterilized between uses, and dental professionals follow infection control protocols that protect patients during treatment.
Professional Tartar Removal Methods
Safe, effective tartar removal requires professional dental care using specialized tools and techniques developed specifically for this purpose. Understanding what happens during professional cleaning helps parents appreciate why this approach is necessary.
Initial Examination and Assessment
Before removing tartar, our pediatric specialists thoroughly examine your child’s teeth to assess the extent and location of tartar buildup. This examination identifies areas requiring particular attention and helps determine whether additional treatments beyond basic cleaning are necessary.
During routine checkups, we also evaluate overall oral health, looking for cavities, gum inflammation, and other problems that may be related to or complicated by tartar accumulation.
Scaling: The Primary Removal Technique
Scaling is the professional process of removing tartar from tooth surfaces using specialized hand instruments called scalers and curettes, or ultrasonic scaling devices that use vibrations to break up calcified deposits.
Hand scaling involves carefully positioned instruments that slide beneath tartar deposits, breaking the bond between calculus and tooth enamel without damaging the underlying tooth structure. This technique requires specialized training and precise control to be safe and effective.
Ultrasonic scalers use rapid vibrations combined with water spray to break up tartar while cooling the tooth and flushing away debris. Many children find ultrasonic scaling more comfortable than hand scaling, though both methods may be used during a single cleaning depending on the extent and location of tartar buildup.
Polishing for Smooth Surfaces
After tartar removal, teeth are polished using a special paste and polishing cup that rotates against tooth surfaces. This polishing serves multiple purposes: it removes surface stains, creates smooth tooth surfaces that resist plaque and tartar accumulation, and makes teeth feel clean and fresh.
The polishing paste contains mild abrasives that are safe for tooth enamel when used by trained professionals but would cause damage if used frequently or improperly.
Fluoride Treatment
Following professional cleaning, many children receive fluoride treatments that strengthen tooth enamel and help repair early stages of decay that may have developed in areas where tartar accumulated. Professional fluoride applications provide concentrated doses that offer protection beyond what daily fluoride toothpaste provides.
For children at higher risk for tartar buildup and tooth decay, we may recommend more frequent fluoride treatments to provide enhanced protection.
Prevention: The Best Approach to Tartar Control
While professional removal is necessary once tartar forms, preventing tartar buildup through effective oral hygiene represents the most practical, comfortable, and cost-effective approach to this problem.
Proper Brushing Technique and Consistency
The foundation of tartar prevention is thorough brushing twice daily that removes plaque before it can harden into calculus. Children’s teeth should be brushed for two full minutes using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
The brush should be positioned at a 45-degree angle to the gums, allowing bristles to clean both tooth surfaces and along the gum line where plaque readily accumulates and mineralizes into tartar. Gentle circular or short back-and-forth motions effectively remove plaque without damaging enamel or gums.
Young children require complete brushing assistance from parents, as they lack the fine motor skills for effective independent brushing. Even school-age children benefit from parental supervision and follow-up brushing to ensure thorough plaque removal.
Flossing to Prevent Interproximal Tartar
Brushing alone cannot remove plaque from between teeth where adjacent tooth surfaces touch. These interproximal areas require daily flossing for adequate plaque removal, and plaque that remains between teeth quickly hardens into tartar.
Begin flossing children’s teeth when adjacent teeth touch, typically around ages 2-4. Parents should perform flossing for young children and supervise as older children gradually develop independent flossing skills.
Regular flossing not only prevents tartar formation between teeth but also reduces gum inflammation and bleeding that often accompany tartar buildup.
Timing and Frequency
Brushing should occur twice daily—once in the morning and once before bedtime. Bedtime brushing is particularly crucial for tartar prevention because saliva production decreases during sleep, reducing the mouth’s natural cleansing mechanisms and allowing plaque to remain undisturbed for extended periods.
Some families add midday brushing, particularly after lunch at school, which provides additional protection against plaque accumulation and tartar formation.
Using Tartar-Control Toothpaste
Some toothpastes are specifically formulated to help reduce tartar formation through ingredients that interfere with the mineralization process. While these products don’t remove existing tartar, they may slow the formation of new deposits when used consistently as part of comprehensive oral hygiene routines.
However, tartar-control toothpaste cannot replace proper brushing technique and should be viewed as a supplemental benefit rather than a primary prevention strategy.
Dietary Factors Affecting Tartar Formation
While tartar results from mineralized plaque, dietary choices affect plaque accumulation and can influence the rate and extent of tartar formation.
Reducing Plaque-Promoting Foods
Frequent consumption of sugary and starchy foods provides fuel for plaque bacteria, leading to heavier plaque accumulation that eventually mineralizes into tartar. Limiting these foods and beverages, particularly between meals, reduces plaque formation and subsequent tartar buildup.
When sugary or starchy foods are consumed, offering them during meals rather than as standalone snacks limits acid exposure time and benefits from increased saliva production during meals.
Calcium and Mineral Balance
Interestingly, while calcium is essential for strong teeth and bones, minerals in saliva facilitate tartar formation. This doesn’t mean limiting dietary calcium—adequate calcium intake remains crucial for dental health—but it explains why some children form tartar more readily than others based on individual saliva composition.
Staying Hydrated
Drinking water throughout the day helps rinse away food particles and maintains adequate saliva production. Water also doesn’t contribute to plaque formation like sugary or acidic beverages do, making it the ideal beverage choice between meals.
Age-Specific Tartar Prevention Strategies
Tartar prevention approaches should be tailored to children’s developmental stages and changing oral health needs.
Young Children (Ages 1-5)
During early childhood, parents provide complete brushing and flossing while establishing routines that prevent plaque accumulation and tartar formation. At this stage, the focus is on consistency and thoroughness rather than child independence.
Regular dental visits beginning by age one allow professional monitoring of tartar formation and provide opportunities for early intervention if problems develop.
School-Age Children (Ages 6-12)
Elementary school children gradually assume more responsibility for oral hygiene with continued parental supervision. This is also when permanent molars erupt, introducing teeth that will remain for life and require vigilant protection against tartar and decay.
Dental sealants applied to permanent molars provide additional protection against decay in the grooves and pits where tartar readily accumulates.
Teenagers (Ages 13+)
Teens should manage their oral hygiene independently, though motivation sometimes becomes challenging during this age. Connecting tartar prevention to appearance concerns—yellowed, stained teeth covered with visible deposits—often resonates with teen priorities.
Teenagers undergoing orthodontic treatment require enhanced oral hygiene efforts and education about tartar prevention around braces and other appliances.
Special Situations Requiring Enhanced Tartar Control
Certain circumstances increase tartar formation risk and require extra attention to prevention and more frequent professional monitoring.
During Orthodontic Treatment
Braces create additional surfaces where plaque accumulates and hardens into tartar, while simultaneously making thorough cleaning more challenging. Children wearing braces need specialized cleaning tools, extended time for oral hygiene, and more frequent professional cleanings to control tartar buildup.
Heavy tartar accumulation around brackets can lead to permanent white spot lesions—decalcified areas that remain visible even after braces are removed—making tartar prevention during orthodontic treatment particularly important.
Children with Special Healthcare Needs
Children with physical disabilities affecting fine motor control, developmental delays, or medical conditions that affect saliva production may experience increased tartar formation and require adapted oral hygiene approaches.
Our experienced team at Great Falls and Havre locations works with families to develop individualized tartar prevention strategies that accommodate special needs.
After Extended Periods Without Professional Care
Children who have gone extended periods without professional dental cleanings often have significant tartar accumulation requiring more involved removal. Resuming regular preventive care every six months helps prevent future buildup and maintains optimal oral health.
Products and Tools That Support Tartar Prevention
While no home product removes existing tartar, various tools and products support effective plaque removal that prevents tartar formation.
Electric Toothbrushes
Electric toothbrushes with oscillating or vibrating brush heads can enhance plaque removal effectiveness, particularly for children with limited manual dexterity. Many models include built-in timers ensuring adequate brushing duration and pressure sensors preventing excessive force.
Studies suggest that certain electric toothbrush designs remove more plaque than manual brushing, potentially reducing tartar formation when used consistently with proper technique.
Water Flossers
Water flossers (oral irrigators) use pulsating water streams to remove food particles and plaque from between teeth and along the gum line. While they don’t replace traditional flossing for removing plaque between tight tooth contacts, they provide supplemental cleaning that may reduce tartar formation.
Water flossers are particularly helpful for children with braces or other orthodontic appliances that make traditional flossing difficult.
Antimicrobial Mouth Rinses
Some mouth rinses contain ingredients that reduce plaque-forming bacteria, potentially slowing plaque accumulation and subsequent tartar formation. However, rinses should supplement rather than replace thorough brushing and flossing.
Rinses containing fluoride provide additional cavity protection, supporting overall oral health alongside tartar prevention efforts.
Signs That Professional Tartar Removal Is Needed
Understanding when children need professional tartar removal helps parents maintain appropriate preventive care schedules.
Visible Hard Deposits
Yellow, brown, or white crusty deposits along the gum line or between teeth indicate tartar that requires professional removal. These deposits feel rough to the tongue and don’t come off with brushing.
Persistent Gum Inflammation
Red, swollen, or bleeding gums despite good home oral hygiene may indicate tartar buildup irritating gum tissue. Professional removal of tartar allows gums to heal and return to healthy pink appearance.
Bad Breath That Won’t Resolve
Chronic bad breath that persists despite thorough brushing often results from bacteria harbored in tartar deposits. Professional tartar removal eliminates these bacterial reservoirs, typically resolving the bad breath problem.
Rough Tooth Surfaces
Teeth that feel rough or fuzzy even after thorough brushing may have tartar deposits creating these rough surfaces. Professional cleaning restores smooth tooth surfaces that are easier to keep clean.
What to Expect During Professional Tartar Removal
Understanding the professional cleaning process helps prepare children for comfortable, stress-free experiences during tartar removal appointments.
Before the Cleaning
Our team reviews your child’s medical history and any concerns about sensitivity or anxiety. For anxious children or those requiring extensive tartar removal, we discuss comfort options including numbing agents or, in rare cases, sedation.
During the Procedure
Professional cleaning typically takes 30-45 minutes depending on tartar extent. Most children find the process comfortable, though some experience sensitivity in areas with heavy buildup or gum inflammation.
We work carefully and communicate throughout the procedure, letting children know what to expect and providing breaks as needed. Many children watch shows or listen to music during cleaning, making time pass more comfortably.
After the Cleaning
Teeth feel smooth and clean after professional tartar removal, and gums may be slightly tender for a day or two if significant buildup was present. Any sensitivity typically resolves quickly as gums heal.
We provide specific home care instructions and schedule the next preventive visit, typically in six months unless more frequent monitoring is needed.
The Importance of Regular Professional Cleanings
Professional cleanings every six months provide the cornerstone of effective tartar control and overall oral health maintenance for children.
Early Detection and Intervention
Regular visits allow our pediatric specialists to identify tartar formation early when removal is simpler and before significant problems develop. These visits also detect cavities, gum disease, and other issues in earliest, most treatable stages.
Professional Assessment of Home Care
During cleaning appointments, we assess home oral hygiene effectiveness and provide personalized guidance on improving technique or addressing problem areas. This feedback helps families optimize their prevention efforts between professional visits.
Maintaining Long-Term Oral Health
Children who receive consistent professional care every six months typically experience fewer cavities, less gum disease, and better overall oral health throughout their lives compared to those who receive irregular or inadequate professional care.
When to Seek Emergency Care
While tartar buildup typically develops gradually, occasionally it contributes to situations requiring urgent attention.
Acute Gum Infection
Severe tartar accumulation can contribute to acute gum infections causing significant pain, swelling, fever, or facial swelling. If your child experiences these symptoms, contact our 24/7 emergency services at (406) 205-3586 immediately.
Severe Decay or Abscess
Advanced tooth decay related to chronic tartar buildup can cause abscesses requiring urgent professional intervention. Early prevention through consistent tartar control avoids these painful, costly emergency situations.
Conclusion: Professional Care and Prevention Work Together
Understanding how to remove tartar from teeth requires recognizing that safe, effective removal is a professional procedure that cannot be replicated at home. However, parents play crucial roles in preventing tartar formation through consistent, thorough home oral hygiene and ensuring children receive regular professional cleanings.
At Great Falls Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, our experienced pediatric team provides gentle, effective professional tartar removal while educating families about prevention strategies that minimize future buildup. We believe that combining excellent home care with regular professional cleanings provides the best protection for children’s developing teeth.
Don’t attempt home tartar removal or delay professional care when your child needs tartar removed. Contact Great Falls Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics today to schedule your child’s professional cleaning and receive personalized guidance on preventing tartar buildup between visits.
Call (406) 205-3586 to schedule your child’s professional cleaning at our Great Falls or Havre location. Our pediatric specialists provide gentle, thorough tartar removal and comprehensive prevention education.
