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You bet it is! Have you ever seen a dental hygienist work on a patient? Intense laser focus. Sweat beading up on the forehead. Elbows in the air as they maneuver their specialized dental instruments in impossible positions. Gingerly switching from scaler to curette with the practiced ease of a stage magician doing sleight of hand.

Tartar is a serious dental concern because it is the hardened build up of what used to be plaque, but was allowed to calcify. It won’t come off by brushing and flossing alone. Once cemented in place, only a professional cleaning done by a duly authorized and certified dental hygienist can take out the tartar on your teeth properly.

When you don’t brush and floss regularly, you are inviting tartar to become a problem. While regular toothbrushing with a fluoride toothpaste can remove plaque easily when it first forms, letting it stay for even a short time will make it almost impossible to remove. Most plaque hardens within 48 hours, and it provides a place for plaque to build up even more. It really likes to adhere along the gumline. Ignoring it is a sure way to get gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. Once you get gum disease, there is the potential for tooth loss.

If you haven’t been in to visit the dentist for more than six months … What were you thinking?!!. Make an appointment right away with Drs. Gleich and Jensen and our helpful team at Summit Village Dental. Call us at: 816-287-5650, or come by our office in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.