A set of healthy white teeth to go with a lovely smile is something we all desire. Keeping our teeth healthy and white is often a challenge. While brushing daily is important, so is flossing, using mouthwash, avoiding sugary drinks, and visiting your dentist regularly.
Your dentist will not only check for any problems, they or a dental hygienist can also carry out simple, yet highly effective procedures such as a scale and polish.
The mouth provides the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which thrives in dark, warm, moist locations. While some bacteria can be beneficial for our health, too much, combined with plaque, can lead to gum disease.
Do your teeth need scaling and polishing?
These bacteria can lead to many dental health issues. And no matter how much you brush or floss your teeth, or how carefully you clean them, there will be teeth surfaces that you can’t reach, which allows plaque to build up. If allowed to accumulate, this can lead to possible dental health issues, and unsightly teeth.
Plaque can eventually become crusty yellow/brown deposits which are known as tartar. The tartar sticks to the teeth and cannot be easily removed by only brushing. The only way to have these deposits removed is via a scale and polish.
What does a scale and polish involve?
A scale and polish are carried out by your dentist or hygienist and first involves a ‘scrape’ stage in which a special device is used to scrape away as much of these deposits as possible. Afterwards, special tools may be used to remove whatever the scraper couldn’t get. Scaling teeth regularly also prevents heavy tartar build-up along the gum margins.
The second stage is the polish stage, whereby your dentist will polish the surface of the teeth to leave them smooth and whiter. The polish also gets rid of any imperfections and rough patches so tartar will struggle to grow again.
Does scaling and polishing whiten teeth?
People often ask does scaling and polishing whiten teeth, and the answer to that is yes. However, a scale and polish are not primarily designed to whiten the teeth, as that is what teeth whitening treatments are for. With that said however, a scale and polish will in fact leave the teeth looking smooth, shiny, and whiter after the treatment.
Bad breath can also be eliminated or reduced through a scale and polish as it gets rid of the bacteria that is producing the smell in the first place.
Scale and polish side effects
While a scale and polish are one of least invasive dental procedures you will undergo, there are a few side effects that you can expect during and after a scale and polish, including:
· Bleeding of the gums
· Tooth sensitivity
· Very minor tenderness in the mouth
· Sensitive gums
· Minor swelling
As long as scaling teeth is done properly and by a trained dental professional, you won’t experience any negative teeth scaling side effects. Remember, your tooth enamel is stronger than the scaler.
How often should you scale and polish your teeth?
To keep your teeth looking their best, Crown Dental Studio recommends scaling and polishing every six months. However, everyone is different, some people build up plaque and tartar more quickly or
have other periodontal issues. We then may recommend a treatment up to every two to three months.
If you’re concerned about plaque and tartar in your mouth, or if you just feel as if your teeth could use a bit of a sprucing up, book your treatment with Crown Dental Studio now!
We offer tooth scaling and polishing, as well as countless other treatments and procedures.
Crown Dental Studio is one of the few truly 24-hour dental practices in Durban as this is not limited to emergency dentistry treatment.
T: +27 81 207 8621
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