tartar

tartar /tar·tar/ (tahr´ter) dental calculus.

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tar·tar (tärtr)

n.

A hard, yellowish deposit on the teeth, consisting of organic secretions and food particles deposited in various salts, such as calcium carbonate. Also called dental calculus.

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Tartar

A hardened yellow or brown mineral deposit from unremoved plaque; also called calculus.

Mentioned in: Oral Hygiene

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tartar

[tär′tär]

Etymology: Fr, tartre

1 See calculus, def 2.

2 any of several compounds containing tartrate, the salt of tartaric acid.

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tartar,

n See calculus, dental.

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tartar

1. the recrystallized sediment of wine casks; crude potassium bitartrate.

2. a yellowish film formed of calcium phosphate and carbonate, food particles, and other organic matter, deposited on the teeth by the saliva. See also dental calculus.

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tartar emetic

antimony potassium tartrate; used at one time as an emetic and as a treatment for trypanosomiasis but is very poisonous and is no longer used as an animal medicine.

tartar scraper

manual or mechanical, handheld instruments used to scrape tartar (dental calculus) from the teeth of dogs. There is a variety of tips including triangle, hoe (right and left) and claw. They may be single or double ended.

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tartar

Calculus Dentistry Hardened gray-white preplaque goo composed of hydroxyapatite, food bacteria, which adheres to teeth after a meal; tartar and plaque cause bone inflammation around teeth known as periodontia. See Caries.