June 19, 2025, 2:38 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Do you need to visit the dentist to remove tartar, or can you do it yourself? And is it possible to prevent tartar from forming in the first place? Learn more about the topic here and discover what you can do to prevent tartar buildup.
Removing tartar is important because it increases the risk of gum inflammation, which can develop into periodontitis. Many people, therefore, have tartar professionally removed as part of preventive care. However, since the treatment is not always covered by health insurance and can be quite expensive, some might wonder if they can just do it themselves. We explain why it’s generally advised against trying to remove tartar on your own.
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Overview
How Tartar Develops
Everyone has dental plaque. The so-called plaque is a soft deposit formed by saliva and food residues. However, due to the minerals in saliva, this deposit hardens and becomes tartar—”this can happen within a few hours,” says Lena Schlender, a dentist at Carree Dental in Cologne.
The usually invisible plaque can still be brushed away with a toothbrush. But the yellowish-white and later brownish or black tartar is so hard and massive that the brush is ineffective.
The following areas are particularly prone to tartar:
- Interdental spaces, especially between lower incisors and upper molars
- Transition from tooth to gum
- Crown edges
- Braces bases
More about dental care is explained by our “FITBOOK Experts” protagonist, dentist Anne Heinz:
Can You Remove Tartar Yourself or Do You Need to See a Dentist?
Removing tartar is important because it significantly increases the risk of gum inflammation. And gum inflammation (gingivitis) can develop into periodontitis. Various instruments and products are offered in pharmacies and drugstores to remove hard deposits on your own. However, these can often only partially dissolve existing tartar. With mechanical instruments like scalers and curettes, which are also used by dentists, there is a risk of injury if handled unskillfully, as the gum can be quickly damaged by slipping with pressure. It is therefore advised against attempting to use these instruments yourself. It’s better to let a professional handle it.
Home remedies like tea tree oil (kills bacteria in the mouth) or baking soda (supposed to dissolve tartar due to the baking soda) are more preventive but can only partially combat tartar. It is also advised against using a mixture of lemon and vinegar. While the acid slowly dissolves tartar, it also attacks the tooth enamel.
Instead, a dentist or dental professional should use special hand instruments like scalers and curettes to scrape off the tartar. For stubborn deposits, ultrasound or airflow is also used. Professional treatment not only poses fewer risks to dental (and gum) health than the “do-it-yourself” method, but it also promises long-term results.
Also interesting: Which dental care products really work and which don’t
What Does Tartar Removal Cost?
Once a year, tartar removal for adults is covered by insurance, according to the “Consumer Center.”1 It can take place during the semi-annual check-up and lasts—depending on how many teeth are affected and which method is used—between 5 and 20 minutes. The treatment can be somewhat uncomfortable but usually does not cause pain.
If treatments are needed several times a year, the costs (about 50 to 80 euros) must be borne by the patient, according to the insurer “Münchener Verein.”2 This also applies if tartar removal is part of a professional dental cleaning by a medical professional. Such a cleaning costs between 80 and 120 euros and usually must be paid for entirely out of pocket. Some insurance companies partially cover the cost. When taking out supplementary dental insurance, these costs are often covered by the policy.
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How to Prevent Tartar
So, how can you prevent the need to remove tartar in the first place? Some people are more prone to tartar than others. However, it generally increases with age, and medications can also contribute to it. The best approach is to remove the precursor, the soft plaque. This can be done by brushing your teeth thoroughly twice a day.
Another tip: Eat raw vegetables and cheese. Both foods can help.
With material from dpa