Читать книгу Basic Guide to Oral Health Education and Promotion - Alison Chapman - Страница 81

Calculus is a mineralised hard deposit of calcium salts that forms in plaque. It is found on teeth and other solid structures in the mouth and plays a role in the development of periodontal disease by attracting more plaque.

Patients sometimes refer to calculus (a Latin word meaning stone) as tartar or scale. When talking to patients, it is worth mentioning that these three terms mean the same thing. Some patients get confused between plaque and calculus and think that they are one and the same, and so the differences between them should be explained in simple terms. Other patients know what calculus looks like and complain of its build‐up around the lower incisors.

Calculus consists of approximately:

 70% inorganic salts.

 30% microorganisms and organic materials.