Scale and Polish
Everyone had had a scale and polish haven't they? Surprisingly, lots of people have never had their teeth professionally cleaned. A scale and polish, or a scrape and polish is one of the most common dental treatments. Scaling and polishing minimises the amount of plaque and staining in the mouth.
Plaque builds up in our mouths and solidifies, leading to calculus or tartar buildup. Also known as scale, tartar can contain millions of harmful bacteria and can result in the progression of lots of different dental problems. The process of dental scaling removes this hardened build-up and returns the teeth to their natural state and as a result, your teeth will be easier to keep clean.
Polishing improves the cosmetic appearance of your teeth and can help to remove stains. Tea, coffee and tobacco stains are easily removed. For tougher stains, we can use an Air Polish unit. Also, polishing is the first line of attack when looking to whiten your teeth.
What happens if you don't clean your teeth?
Plaque buildup can result in other dental problems. Firstly, your gums may start bleeding. On occasion your gums will bleed whist you are having a scale and polish. This is known as gingivitis. More worryingly, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, which results in the loss of your teeth. Tooth decay can also be a result of plaque buildup as this will promote bacterial colonisation on your teeth. Don't risk these dental problems! Book an appointment with our hygienist to have a scale and polish.
Does a Scale and Polish hurt?
No, a Scale and Polish shouldn't hurt. However, if you haven't had a scale and polish for a long time, there may be some discomfort or bleeding. Minor sensitivity may occur as a result of tooth surface exposure from calculus removal. However, this sensitivity will fade over time. A scale and polish appointment takes approximately 30 mins.
