Gum health
What is the difference between plaque and tartar?
Plaque is the soft, sticky film of bacteria that forms all day — you can brush and floss it away. Left too long it hardens into tartar, a crust no toothbrush can budge; only we can scale it off.
Plaque — the soft film you can clear yourself
Plaque is a soft, sticky, near-invisible film of bacteria that builds up on your teeth all day long, leaving them feeling a bit fuzzy by evening. The good news is that it's entirely within your control: brushing twice a day and cleaning between the teeth wipes it away before it can do harm.
That daily clearing is the whole game. Keep plaque from settling and hardening, and you head off the cavities and gum inflammation it would otherwise cause.
Tartar — the hard crust only we can remove
Leave plaque sitting too long and it sets rock-hard into tartar — that off-white or yellowish crust, often along the gumline, that no amount of brushing will shift. Once it's cemented on, home care can't lift it.
At that point it's a job for us. A gentle professional scale — or our comfortable Guided Biofilm Therapy clean — lifts tartar away before it fuels cavities or gum disease. The more faithfully you clear plaque at home, the less tartar there is for us to remove.
Common questions
Can I remove tartar at home?
No. Once plaque hardens into tartar it's cemented to the tooth, and no brushing or flossing will shift it. Only a dentist or hygienist can scale it off safely.
How do I stop tartar building up?
Clear the plaque before it hardens — brush twice daily, clean between the teeth once a day, and keep your regular cleans. Consistent home care leaves far less for us to scale away.