June 19, 2025, 2:38 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Do you need to go to the dentist to remove tartar, or can you actually do it yourself? And is it possible to prevent it altogether? Here, you’ll learn more about the topic and what you can do to prevent tartar.
Removing tartar is important because it increases the risk of gum inflammation, which can develop into periodontitis. Many people 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 simply 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 Forms
Everyone has dental plaque. The so-called plaque is a soft deposit formed by saliva and food residues. However, the minerals in saliva harden this deposit and turn it into 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 brown 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
Learn more about dental care from 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 due to unskilled handling, as the gum can be quickly damaged by forceful slipping. Therefore, it is advised against attempting treatment with these instruments yourself. It’s better to let the professional handle it.
Home remedies like tea tree oil (kills bacteria in the mouth) or baking soda (supposed to dissolve tartar with its sodium bicarbonate) are more preventive but can only partially combat tartar. Using a mixture of lemon and vinegar is also discouraged. 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 tartar. For stubborn deposits, ultrasound or airflow may also be used. Professional treatment not only poses fewer risks to dental (gum) health than the “do-it-yourself” approach, but it also promises long-term results.
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How Much Does Tartar Removal Cost?
Once a year, tartar removal for adults is covered by insurance, writes 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, writes the insurer “Münchener Verein.”2 This also applies if tartar removal is part of a professional dental cleaning by a medical professional. Such a dental cleaning costs between 80 and 120 euros and usually must be paid entirely by the patient. Some insurance companies partially cover the costs. When taking out supplemental dental insurance, these costs are often covered.
How to Prevent Tartar
And what can you do preventively so you don’t have to remove tartar at all? Some people are more prone to tartar, while others are less so. But generally, it increases with age, and medications can also promote it. The best approach is to eliminate the precursor, the soft deposit. This can be done with thorough brushing twice a day.
Another tip: Eat raw vegetables and cheese. Both foods are said to help prevent plaque.
With material from dpa