heart disease

Tartar or calculus is an oral condition where a calcified build up occurs behind or outside your teeth along the gum line. Most oral health information will tell you that tartar is the end result of plaque that has hardened because it hasn’t been removed regularly through brushing and flossing.

Once tartar forms on your teeth, only your dentist can remove it during a dental clean via a nonsurgical dental procedure called scaling. This dental technique utilises a special instrument to remove tartar build up from your teeth above, along and below the gum line.

Tartar is a biomarker for calcium build-up in your body

However, whether you have experienced light or heavy tartar doesn’t mean you just have oral care and hygiene issues, it may also be a sign that you have trouble metabolising calcium.

If your body has difficulty metabolising calcium, it may be going to all sorts of places in your body, like your artery walls, joints, soft tissue and saliva. Everywhere it seems except for your bones and teeth where it’s needed most.

How do high calcium levels in your body cause tartar?

Tartar is not just made up of hardened plaque. It also contains a lot of calcium. So where does this calcium originate? It comes from your saliva. The higher the calcium levels are in your saliva, the more prone you are to developing tartar on your teeth.

Why does tartar only form in certain areas of your teeth?

Tartar, or calculus, usually forms on tooth surfaces that are close to your saliva glands. The saliva glands under your tongue are chiefly responsible for tartar build-up behind your bottom front teeth, and the glands in your cheeks can affect the outside surfaces of your molars.

What are the health risks of high calcium levels in the body?

High calcium levels in your body can build up in all the wrong places which may cause a range of health issues. These include joint issues, coronary calcification, calcified arterial plaque, heart disease, tartar – and very weak teeth and bones.