Scaling and Polishing

Usually a thorough cleaning is needed before dental treatments can be started; during this oral hygiene treatment, the dentist or oral hygiensist cleans the surface of the teeth, removes plaque and residue under and on the gums, and polishes the surface of the teeth.

What is plaque, and why is its removal important?

Improperly cleaned teeth will gather residue, or in other words, plaque forms. The residue is mainly composed of bacteria. Plaque is the hardened form of this residue, which settles in hard-to-clean areas like the base of the teeth near the gums, between the teeth, and the side acing the tongue.

At first, plaque only causes gum inflammation, which has symptoms like slight irritation and light bleeding. Later, the infection can spread to deeper tissue which holds the tooth in place. The teeth can loosen and fall out, and this is called gingivitis.

How is plaque removed?

Multiple tools are available for plaque removal, both manual and electronic. An electronic ultrasound tool can be used to scrape off residue on the tooth’s surface while cooling the tooth with water.

The plaque removal is followed by polishing the tooth with a special paste with micrscoping beads. With this, we create a perfectly smooth surface that has a lower chance of gathering plaque.

What can be doen to prevent plaque from forming?

The amount of plaque formed varies based on the individual, so the treatment should be repeated based on the recommendation of the dentist or oral hygienist. This is how you can avoid gum infection, gingivitis, dental decay, and nodular infections.

What is necessary for prevention:

• thorough oral care
• regular dental checkups (twice a year)
• plaque removal every 3-6 months

AIR POLISHING

During intraoral blasting, or Air-Flow, a high-pressure abrasive material (Ca/Na bicarbonate solution) is blown on the tooth’s surface. This way, the hard-to-reach crevices and grooves can be cleaned and slight discolorations can be removed.