What is black tartar?

Black tartar is mostly a sign of underlying tooth decay or tooth decay that must be treated as quickly as possible. The consumption of specific food items and drinks can add a stain on the tooth’s natural enamel, making your teeth discolour.

What Produces Tartar?

Tartar is basically generated from plaque but has a distinct texture to plaque and is not easily removed. As per the dental experts, plaque is a combination of bacteria, saliva, food, and bacterial acids created by starch and sugar. Plaque is mostly stuck to the teeth, but with regular brushing and flossing, you can clean the teeth’ surface up to some extent. However, if plaque is not removed, it can solidify and produce tartar.

Only visiting a dental expert can help you eliminate tartar as daily dental care measures don’t affect them. Keep in mind, both tartar and plaque can irritate the gums, leading to gum disease and inflammation.

Black tartar is generally caused by one of two major causes:

External Cause

When it comes to external aspects, tartar often changes colour, which leads to having adverse effects, like:

• Smoking
• Damaged enamel
• Plaque buildup
• Utilizing dental crowns and fillings having silver sulfate
• Daily consuming dark-coloured drinks or food, like coffee, tea, and chocolate
• Consume antibiotics or liquid form of iron supplements

Internal Cause

The tooth can look black when damaged from the inside. The most common reasons for black teeth in such cases are cavities or decay. For instance, a pulp infection or dead tooth may convert into a black tooth. The damage begins on the inside and leads its way to the surface. The black colour of the tooth may first seem in spots, and with time, it covers the complete tooth if not treated in time.

Main Symptoms of Black Tartar

It’s not normal for a tooth to swiftly change from a whitish hue to black. In most cases, some tiny brown or grey spots are visible before the tooth starts to turn black completely. Commonly, black tartar appears on the inner side or the surface of the molars. Moreover, small holes are formed in the area of tooth enamel damage.

Treatment for Black Tartar

Treating black tartar on your teeth at home is not possible. It needs professional treatment from a trusted dentist. During your visit to the dental clinic, you need to get a complete dental checkup to recognize the underlying cause, and your chosen dentist will suggest treatments based on your condition.

Ways to Prevent Black Tartar

Following good oral hygiene is ideal for preventing black tartar from gathering on and between your teeth. A few essential care tips are as follows:

• Ensure to brush your teeth twice a day and double-check that you’re employing the right method.
• You can even use tartar control toothpaste that’s well-designed to get rid of plaque as much as possible.
• Try to use a water flosser or interdental brush to reach between your teeth and under your gum line to remove irritants like bacteria and food particles.

Visit your dental expert for regular appointments to get the proper treatment and remove plaque before turning into black tartar.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.