DentistryLesson 4 of 4 in the course Periodontal disease

Dental Calculus: Formation, Periodontal Effects, and Professional Removal

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Dental calculus, commonly called tartar, is hardened dental plaque. Understanding how it forms and what it contains helps explain why it can be difficult to remove and why it can encourage further plaque buildup.

Dental plaque is a deposit that forms on teeth. Minerals from saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF)—the fluid found in the narrow space beside the gums—can precipitate within plaque. This mineral deposition hardens the plaque into calculus.

All flashcards

What is dental calculus?
Hardened, mineralized dental plaque formed when minerals precipitate within plaque.
Where is supragingival calculus commonly abundant?
On the cheek-facing surfaces of upper molars and tongue-facing surfaces of lower incisors, near areas of high salivary flow.
How do sickle scalers and curettes differ in their main uses?
Sickle scalers are mainly used for supragingival deposits; curettes are mainly used for subgingival calculus and root-surface cleaning.
What can archaeological dental calculus preserve?
Microparticles, DNA, and proteins that can provide evidence about diet, oral microbiomes, pathogens, and craft activities.
How can calculus contribute to periodontal disease?
Its rough surface retains plaque, supporting localized plaque buildup; calculus is a secondary contributor, not the sole cause.

Quiz questions

  1. Which finding distinguishes periodontitis from gingivitis?Answer: Loss of supporting attachment fibers, often with bone loss.
  2. Why is calculus considered a secondary contributor to periodontitis?Answer: It helps retain plaque, which can promote disease progression.
  3. What vibration patterns distinguish the two main types of ultrasonic scalers?Answer: Magnetostrictive scalers vibrate elliptically; piezoelectric scalers vibrate linearly.
  4. Which description best characterizes subgingival plaque compared with supragingival plaque?Answer: It has a higher proportion of anaerobic bacteria.
  5. What is one potential use of archaeological dental calculus analysis?Answer: Inferring past diets from preserved biological and microscopic material.

Based on the Wikipedia article Dental calculus, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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