Scaling & Polishing
A good scale and polish is what we all need every six months or so. Regular scaling and polishing help keep your teeth and gums healthy by making it easier for you to keep your teeth clean at home. You should see and feel the difference.
Scaling and Polishing involve removing plaque and tartar deposits that have built up on teeth over time. Plaque is a soft, sticky substance that builds up on your teeth. It is mostly made up of bacteria. The bacteria in plaque feed on sugar from food and drink, producing acids as a waste product. The acids attack the teeth by dissolving the minerals in the tooth surface. If this happens too often teeth will decay as a result.
Tartar (also known as calculus and scale) formed by hardened plaque, helps plaque to gather and makes it harder to remove when you brush. And if plaque is allowed to build up, the bacteria in it can cause gum disease, making your gums sore and infected. You can’t remove tartar just by brushing your teeth, but a dentist or hygienist can remove it using special instruments – this is known as scaling.
A dentist or hygienist can also polish your teeth. This removes stains from coffee, tea, cigarettes or red wine and it makes it more difficult for plaque to stick to your teeth.