What Is A Scale And Clean?

the most commonly performed procedures by a dentist is the humble scale and clean, it is the most commonly performed procedure simply because it is highly necessary to help keep your teeth and gums healthy and clean. Every 6 months is the ideal time frame to schedule general cleaning visits for healthy teeth. This will reduce your risk of gum disease and improve your overall health and wellbeing considerably. A scale and clean will remove some of the nasties that accumulate on your teeth that you just can't remove with regular brushing such as plaque and calculus (also known as tartar), after we have removed that we give your teeth a nice polish, making them slightly more vibrant, clean, and healthy. You also have a choice of getting a fluride treatment.

What Is Plaque, Calculus (Tartar), Fluride Treatment, And Tooth Polishing?:

Plaque

Plaque is a sticky, soft, almost invisible film that forms on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, saliva, and food debris. The bacteria produce toxins that inflame the gums. This inflammation is known as gingivitis which can lead to periodontal disease. Although plaque can be removed with regular and correct brushing and flossing, if left undisturbed, plaque can release toxins and acid which causes tooth decay. Few people will do a completely perfect job of daily plaque removal. Having a scale and clean will get the plaque out from all those nooks and crannies that you might be missing.

Calculus (Tartar)

Calculus is hardened plaque that has been left on the tooth for some time and is now firmly attached to the tooth surface which can't be removed with brushing and flossing. If even a small amount of plaque is left on your teeth, eventually the minerals in your saliva will react with the plaque, causing it to become calcified (hardened). Calculus needs to be removed by a dental professional. This is the "scaling" part of a scale and clean. Don't worry, it doesnt hurt. Calculus itself doesn't really cause problems, but it is extremely porous and rough. It's the perfect haven for plaque to accumulate on, so leaving calculus on your teeth causes the same problems as plaque does.

Tooth Polishing

Polishing is viewed as a cosmetic procedure It is an act of smoothening the tooth surfaces to make it glossy and lustrous. During polishing, plaque, biofilm, stains and acquired pellicle are removed with a Prophylactic Paste (Polishing Paste). Prophylactic paste contains abrasives that vary in size, shape, and hardness. Based on these variants, pastes are available in fine, medium, coarse and super-coarse grits. depending on your teeth will depend on how course the prophylactic paste will be.Some prophylactic pastes contain fluoride to aid in the remineralization of the enamel surface and others help reduce dentinal sensitivity

Fluoride Treatment

Tooth decay happens when the bacteria in your mouth uses sugars and starches in food to produce acid. The acid can cause minerals to be lost from the surface of your teeth.This is called demineralisation. If demineralisation happens over time, a cavity is formed. Fluoride helps repair the damaged tooth surface by remineralising and protecting your teeth from future acid attacks. The fluoride preparation used in the dental office is a much stronger concentration than that in toothpastes or fluoride mouthrinses.

• The teeth will be cleaned to remove any food debris and staining staining.
• A high concentrate fluoride varnish is put into a paper tray which you keep in your mouth for about one minute
• afterward the dentist will ask you to spit out the excess (not rinse, only spit)
• After the treatment, you will be asked not to rinse, eat or drink for at least 30 minutes to allow the teeth to absorb the fluoride and help repair microscopic carious areas.