Plaque is the soft, sticky, colourless film of bacteria that forms on teeth every day and can be removed completely by brushing and flossing. Tartar (calculus) is plaque that was not removed and has hardened with minerals from saliva, usually within 24 to 72 hours, into a rough yellow or brown deposit bonded to the tooth. Tartar cannot be brushed off; it has to be scraped off by a dentist or hygienist. Plaque causes cavities and gum inflammation; tartar makes both worse by giving plaque a rough surface to cling to at and below the gum line.
What plaque is
Within minutes of brushing, proteins from saliva coat the teeth. Bacteria attach to that coating, multiply, and within hours form a living film: plaque. You can feel it as the fuzzy texture on teeth at the end of the day and see it as a pale film if you run a fingernail along the gum line. Disclosing tablets, which stain plaque pink, show how much is really there.
Plaque bacteria feed on sugars and starches and produce acid, which dissolves enamel: that is a cavity. They also release toxins that inflame the gums: that is gingivitis. Both processes start and stop with plaque. Remove it thoroughly every day and neither gets going.
What tartar is
Saliva is full of calcium and phosphate. Plaque that sits undisturbed absorbs them and mineralises, hardening into tartar. It starts within about 24 hours and is firmly set within a few days. Tartar is porous and rough, so new plaque clings to it more readily than to smooth enamel, and it extends below the gum line where a brush cannot reach at all.
Two kinds:
- Supragingival tartar sits above the gum line. Yellow, off-white, or brown, visible at the gum margin, particularly behind the lower front teeth and on the cheek side of the upper molars, opposite the salivary gland openings.
- Subgingival tartar sits below the gum line on the root surface. Dark brown or black, invisible, detected by the hygienist with an instrument or on X-rays. It is the tartar that drives periodontitis.
Tartar is not itself the disease. It is the scaffold. Gum tissue in contact with tartar-covered roots stays inflamed, pockets deepen, and bone is lost.
Plaque vs tartar at a glance
| Plaque | Tartar | |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Soft, sticky film | Hard, rough, crusty deposit |
| Colour | Colourless to pale yellow | Yellow, brown, or black |
| Forms in | Hours | 1 – 3 days from unremoved plaque |
| Removed by | Brushing and flossing | Professional scaling only |
| Location | Everywhere on the teeth | Mainly gum line, between teeth, below the gum |
| Causes | Cavities, gingivitis | A permanent base for more plaque; periodontitis |
How to remove plaque
Brush twice a day for two minutes with a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste, angled into the gum line. Floss or use a water flosser once a day for the surfaces between teeth, which are about a third of the total. Brush the tongue. Our brushing guide covers technique, and our electric toothbrush guide explains why a timer and pressure sensor help.
Disclosing tablets or drops, sold in pharmacies, are the honest test: chew one, rinse, and look at where the pink is. Most people find it along the gum line and between the back teeth, exactly where cavities and gum disease start. Our guide to how to know if you have a cavity covers the warning signs.
How to remove tartar
You do not. Tartar is bonded to the tooth surface and needs a hygienist’s hand instruments or an ultrasonic scaler, which vibrates it off. A routine cleaning every six months handles supragingival tartar. If it has spread below the gum line and pockets have formed, the treatment is scaling and root planing, a deep cleaning under local anaesthetic done in two to four visits.
“Tartar control” toothpaste contains pyrophosphates or zinc that slow mineralisation, which helps a little between cleanings, but it does not remove tartar that is already there. Home scaling kits sold online are a bad idea: it is easy to gouge enamel, damage gums, and push tartar deeper, and the tips are not sterile.
How to tell which one you have
Run your tongue along the back of your lower front teeth. A slightly fuzzy or slick coating that disappears after brushing is plaque. A hard, rough ridge at the gum line that stays after brushing is tartar. In the mirror, plaque is nearly invisible unless stained with a disclosing tablet; tartar shows as an off-white, yellow, or brown band at the gum margin, sometimes with a dark edge where it meets the gum.
Gums next to tartar are usually red, slightly puffy, and bleed easily. If your gums bleed when you brush and you can see or feel a hard deposit, the two are connected, and the bleeding will not resolve until the deposit is removed professionally. Our bleeding gums guide covers what that looks like and what to do.
Preventing tartar
Because tartar is just plaque that stayed too long, prevention is plaque removal, done consistently:
- Twice-daily brushing, with the gum line as the target
- Daily cleaning between the teeth
- A professional cleaning every six months (every three to four months if you have had gum disease or build tartar quickly)
- Less snacking on sugar and starch, which feeds plaque
- No smoking, which increases tartar formation and masks gum bleeding
- Drinking water rather than sipping sugary or acidic drinks through the day
Some people simply form tartar faster because of the mineral content of their saliva. If your hygienist says you are a heavy builder, more frequent cleanings are the answer.
When to see a dentist
See a dentist or hygienist for a cleaning at least every six months; that is what removes tartar. Book sooner if you can see yellow or brown deposits at the gum line, if gums bleed when you brush, if you have persistent bad breath, if gums have pulled away from the teeth or teeth look longer, or if any tooth feels loose. Bleeding gums with visible tartar means gingivitis that will not clear until the tartar is gone; loose teeth or receding gums mean it may already be periodontitis, and the bone lost to it does not come back.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove tartar at home?
No. Tartar is mineralised and bonded to the tooth; brushing, flossing, and tartar-control toothpaste do not remove it. Home scaling tools damage enamel and gums. It needs a professional cleaning.
How long does it take plaque to turn into tartar?
Mineralisation begins within about 24 hours and tartar is firmly set within one to three days. That is why brushing twice a day matters more than any product.
Is tartar the same as a cavity?
No. Tartar is a hardened deposit on the tooth surface; a cavity is a hole in the tooth caused by acid from plaque. Tartar makes cavities and gum disease more likely by giving plaque a rough surface to grow on.
Why do I get tartar behind my lower front teeth?
The major salivary glands open under the tongue, so that area is bathed in mineral-rich saliva and plaque hardens there fastest. The outside of the upper back molars, near the parotid gland openings, is the other hotspot.
Does tartar cause bad breath?
Indirectly. Tartar is porous and holds the bacteria that produce sulphur compounds, and it keeps gums inflamed. Removing it, along with tongue cleaning and flossing, usually resolves persistent bad breath.
