Calculus (medicine)

Calculus is a medical term of art which refers to a deposit in the form of a solid mass, which is formed by lagging previously dissolved substances in a hollow organ or in a body fluid.

Concretions are, for example, gallstones, urinary stones, kidney stones and Vaginalsteine ​​. In birds also goiter stones may occur.

In dentistry dark and hard deposits on the surface of the root are referred to as calculus. It is made from the secretion of the gingival pockets and can be clinically distinguished from tartar mainly by its color. Due to the chronic inflammation (chronic periodontitis), which caused such a deposition in the bag, it always comes back to light bleeding. The blood components are deposited in the calculus and provide for the characteristic brown - black color. This composition is an integral calculus as tartar, and therefore difficult to remove.