tooth tartar build up

[Charlie]

I always seem to get a lot of tooth tartar build up although I see the hygienist regularly and brush twice a day.

Could you let me know why I get this, is it normal? What can I do to reduce my tartar build up? Can it actually damage my teeth?

I’m 48 years old. I suffer from type 2 diabetes, although my diabetes is well controlled most of the time.

[Dr Vahid Motahar]

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

Build of plaque and calculus in the mouth and its rate of formation is affected by many variable factors that changes a lot form person to person. If by tartar you mean your teeth get stained very quickly, then this can be due to your diet. If you mean the build up of plaque in your mouth, then that depends to the diet, your saliva and how effective your brushing is to remove the build ups.

One very important issue in you case is that people that suffer from diabetes are very susceptible to periodontal disease. This disease is associated with the loss of bony support around the teeth and creation of what we refer to as pockets which is an ideal location for build up of plaque and calculus and they are very difficult to effectively being cleaned unless one knows exactly what to do. We have a specialist periodontist that can enormously help and assist you to resolve this problem and would suggest you to come and visit her for assessment of your case.