70 years without brushing his teeth

This 70-year-old patient NEVER brushed his teeth in his life!

The examination revealed existence of deposits on the teeth, known as calculus, and a lot of caries.Therapy included removal of deposits and multiple tooth extraction with dental prosthesis implantation.

In dentistry, calculus or tartar is a form of hardened dental plaque. It is caused by precipitation of minerals from saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in plaque on the teeth.

This process of precipitation kills the bacterial cells within dental plaque, but the rough and hardened surface that is formed provides an ideal surface for further plaque formation. This leads to calculus buildup, which compromises the health of the gingiva (gums). Calculus formation is associated with a number of clinical manifestations, including bad breath, receding gums and chronically inflamed gingiva.

Brushing and flossing can remove plaque from which calculus forms; however, once formed, calculus is too hard (firmly attached) to be removed with a toothbrush. Calculus buildup can be removed with ultrasonic tools or dental hand instruments.