Can a Water Flosser Remove Tartar? (2024)

Flossing is just as important to your dental hygiene as brushing, but there may be points in your life where using traditional floss may not be as easy to use as it was before. This could happen after aging or getting specific dental work, but water flossing can be an effective alternative to traditional flossing.

Water flossing is becoming increasingly popular thanks to its ease of use and Canadian Dental Association-approved effectiveness, but some patients are wondering: can it help remove tartar?

Water flossing can be an effective tool for maintaining good oral hygiene and preventing the buildup of tartar. However, a water flosser may not remove existing tartar once it has formed.

Using a water flosser can aid in tartar prevention, but it’s not a substitute for professional dental cleanings. Get started today by requesting an appointment at Otara Dental, or read on to learn more about water flossers and how they can help keep your smile healthy and clean!

Plaque, Tartar, & Gum Disease

Before we look at water flossers, though, let’s catch up on why brushing and flossing are so important.

Plaque vs. Tartar

Throughout the day, the food and drinks you consume can accumulate particles on and in between your teeth. These particles contain bacteria that form plaque, a yellowish film that coats the outer layer of your teeth. If you don’t remove the plaque with brushing and flossing, it can harden into tartar.

Signs and symptoms you may have dental plaque include:

  • Fuzzy feeling on your teeth
  • Red or swollen gums that may bleed after brushing and flossing
  • Bad breath

The bacteria in plaque and tartar eat away at your tooth enamel over time as well as irritate and infect the gums. Eventually, if left untreated, tartar and plaque may lead to gum disease or even an infection that needs to be treated with a root canal or tooth extraction.

To help prevent these issues from developing, you need to remove any plaque or tartar. But how?

So, Can Water Flossers Remove Tartar?

Now, let’s answer the million-dollar question: no, water flossers can’t remove tartar. Not even regular flossing can remove tartar.

How to Remove Tartar from Teeth?

Professional cleanings are the only way to remove tartar before it can damage your teeth or lead to infection.

During a professional cleaning, your hygienist will use a scaling tool to scrape away hardened tartar on and in between your teeth and below the surface of the gums. If you’ve been keeping up with a thorough brushing and flossing routine, you can significantly reduce the amount of tartar that can build up on your teeth over time.

Can a Water Flosser Remove Tartar? (1)

Do Water Flossers Remove Plaque?

Unlike tartar, water flossers are effective at removing plaque from your teeth and gums.

Plaque is a soft, sticky film of bacteria and food particles that constantly forms on your teeth, and if it’s not removed, it can lead to dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease.

Water flossers work to dislodge and wash away plaque and food debris from between your teeth and along the gumline.

How to Remove Plaque from Teeth?

Along with using a water flosser, other ways to remove plaque build-up and prevent tartar include:

  • Brushing your teeth twice a day
  • Interdental cleaning once a day (like flossing)
  • Cut back on sugary food and drinks
  • Chewing sugar-free gum
  • See your dentist regularly

When To Use a Water Flosser

There are instances where a water flosser may be a more practical choice when compared to traditional flossing.

You could combine traditional and water flossing techniques for the most comprehensive cleaning. However, please speak with your dentist first to learn which strategies may be best for your oral health.

You Struggle with Traditional Flossing

If you have arthritis or just have difficulty maneuvering traditional floss, a water flosser can make it easier to clean away food particles in between your teeth before and after brushing.

You Wear Braces or Other Dental Appliances

Water flossers can also make it easier to clean food particles from your teeth if you wear some form of dental appliance. We may recommend a water flosser if you have:

  • Braces or Invisalign
  • Crowns
  • Permanent or fixed bridges
  • Dental implants

A water flosser is a little more gentle on your gums than traditional floss, reducing how much your gums may bleed after flossing.

What Kind of Water Flossers Are There?

There are a few different types of water flossers available, and your dentist can help recommend a certain type when you come in for an appointment. In most cases, water flossers can come with various head attachments to help floss different areas of your teeth, but the overall principle is safe and easy to use.

Some water flossers come attached to a countertop tank, which gives you the most tip options and pressure levels, but you could also use a cordless flosser depending on your needs and budget.

Can a Water Flosser Remove Tartar? (2)

For a Professional Cleaning, Call Us Today!

While water flossers may help clean away food particles and plaque from your teeth, they are still no substitute for professional cleanings.

We recommend having a comprehensive dental exam and cleaning every 6 months. Examining and cleaning your teeth can detect and possibly prevent potential issues from developing over time.Get help managing your oral health and request your next appointment with Otara Dental today. We can’t wait to help you achieve the head-turning, healthy-looking smile you deserve!

Can a Water Flosser Remove Tartar? (2024)

FAQs

Can a Water Flosser Remove Tartar? ›

Water flossing can be an effective tool for maintaining good oral hygiene and preventing the buildup of tartar. However, a water flosser may not remove existing tartar once it has formed. Using a water flosser can aid in tartar prevention, but it's not a substitute for professional dental cleanings.

Is a Waterpik strong enough to remove plaque? ›

While it may not work as well as flossing in all cases, a Waterpik can still remove plaque and reduce gum disease. If you have braces, dental implants, or other dental work, a Waterpik may be especially helpful for cleaning hard-to-reach areas.

Is there a way to dissolve tartar on teeth? ›

You can't remove it yourself; you'll have to visit your dentist for a professional cleaning. The best way to prevent tartar is to practice good oral hygiene — brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, floss once a day, and get your teeth cleaned every 6 months or so.

Can flossing remove built up tartar? ›

Only a dentist or hygienist can remove tartar. You can't remove it with brushing and flossing alone.

Will removing tartar loosen teeth? ›

Once that buildup is removed, in comparison, your teeth feel loose. But that doesn't make them likely to fall out! In spite of that increased feeling of looseness, removing the plaque and tartar buildup helps your gums and roots to reattach to your teeth, creating better oral health for you!

Can water flosser remove hardened tartar? ›

Water flossing can be an effective tool for maintaining good oral hygiene and preventing the buildup of tartar. However, a water flosser may not remove existing tartar once it has formed. Using a water flosser can aid in tartar prevention, but it's not a substitute for professional dental cleanings.

What are the disadvantages of a water flosser? ›

I recommend hand flossing first to get the food debris out, then brushing to remove stain and plaque, and then water flossing to finish the clean.” Other disadvantages include: A water flosser may not remove all plaque from the surface of the teeth. It costs more than string floss.

What breaks down tartar fast? ›

Baking soda can prevent and treat tartar buildup on your teeth. Also called sodium bicarbonate, it helps by softening tartar. It also balances the acids in your mouth that create plaque and stop it from turning into tartar. As it is mildly abrasive, it's an effective option to scrub away stains and whiten your teeth.

How long does it take to remove hardened tartar? ›

The duration of the tartar removal depends largely on the amount of tartar. It usually takes 30 to 45 minutes to remove tartar.

Can hydrogen peroxide remove tartar from teeth? ›

Using hydrogen peroxide in caring for teeth and gums eliminates harmful bacteria. This cuts down the formation of plaque and tartar. This powerful antiseptic can deteriorate the bacteria in plaque. Some dentists use hydrogen peroxide as a more efficient way to remove the plaque and tartar from teeth.

Can a chunk of tartar fall off teeth? ›

Hence, if you brush or floss aggressively or improperly, it can cause a chunk of this accumulation to chip off and fall out. So, it's possible that tartar broke off while flossing or you might notice the back of bottom front tooth chipped off when eating something hard.

Can tartar chip off on its own? ›

One of the most common reasons for tartar to break off is while munching on something hard or crunchy. Aggressive brushing with a hard bristle toothbrush can also cause tartar to dislodge from your teeth. Additionally, tartar can become so heavy that it breaks off on its own due to a lack of support.

What does broken off tartar look like? ›

One way is to examine the chipped piece you think is a tooth. If you see brown, dull yellow, or partly black area, it is most likely tartar. Moreover, apply pressure to the piece. If it breaks up, then you have tartar in your hand.

Is it OK to scrape tartar off your teeth? ›

While it is not recommended to scrape tartar off your own teeth, there are safe and effective ways to remove and prevent it at home. Ensure to brush, floss, and visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings to keep your teeth clean and healthy.

Do gums tighten after tartar removal? ›

During the root planing visit, your dentist removes plaque and tarter that forms on the roots of your teeth. This helps reduce the size of the space between your teeth and gums, helping your gums reattach to the teeth.

Do gums grow back after tartar removal? ›

The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.

What is the best thing to remove hard plaque? ›

Here's how to remove plaque from teeth:
  • Floss daily. Floss once a day with dental floss to get rid of food and plaque stuck between teeth. ...
  • Brush twice a day. ...
  • Chew sugarless gum. ...
  • Choose healthy foods. ...
  • See your dentist. ...
  • Use mouthwash.

Can you pick off hardened plaque? ›

If plaque is not removed through brushing and flossing, it hardens into tartar, also known as dental calculus. The only way to get rid of plaque and tartar is to have them scraped off at a dental cleaning—but you might be tempted to try doing it yourself.

What is the strongest psi for Waterpik? ›

WaterPiks are Available at Higher Pressure Settings

These range from 10-90 or 10-100 PSI. The cordless water flossers have 2 or 3 pressure settings with 45 to 75 PSI. Unfortunately, a WaterPik doesn't have the power to remove plaque from the teeth as well as floss can.

Does Waterpik do deep cleaning? ›

At-Home Solution

The WATERPIK water flosser helps protect your oral health between dental visits by using technology to create an effective combination of water pressure and pulsations, cleaning deep between teeth and below the gumline where brushing misses.

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