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Calculus in a 16-yr old

This is the photograph of a 16year old boy who has come to me with a dental abscess on his left side lower molar. While I was managing that, I noticed that there are heavy tartar deposits on his right side teeth and quite noticeable were the tartar deposits on the occlusal surfaces of those right side teeth ie occlusal surfaces mean the biting surfaces of posterior (back) teeth.

When I noticed that there is a badly carious tooth on his right lower side, I understood the whole issue. He told me that he has not used his right side for a year as it hurts when he tries to chew on that side. He was not aware of those heavy calculus deposits on his right side teeth. Of course, he  has been made aware and motivated to get the complete dental treatment.

Heavy tartar deposits on teeth not-in-use

I find such cases quite commonly where I find people when stop using one side of the teeth, get heavy tartar deposits on those teeth which are not in use.

Question is why ? –Why the teeth which are not in use getting those tartar deposits? – it is because of the simple reason that normal chewing besides masticating our food acts as a natural scavenger ie it cleans the tooth surfaces. Not only that, when a person is chewing, his tongue, cheek etc are all involved in this scavenging action –Natural Cleansing Action. Obviously when a person is not using one side, the calculus start depositing –even at those surfaces where such deposits are rarely found like biting surfaces. In  one of the above photographs you can see even the surfaces of lower teeth which are towards tongue have got heavy deposits.

Calculus deposits on Biting (Occlusal) surfaces

In this age, not to the speak of occlusal tartar deposits, even tartar deposits are not that common. This post underlines the potential dangers of unilateral mastication. Just once painful tooth can make the all the teeth on that side non-functional, jeopardizing masticatory sufficiency and efficiency.