Dental Hygiene & Cleaning

Scaling and Polishing

Gum disease is often caused by a build-up of bacteria (or plaque) on your teeth and under the gum line. The best way to remove plaque is to brush and floss your teeth daily. But no matter how well you clean your teeth there will always be areas that are hard to clean. Plaque can build up until it turns into calculus (or tartar). This is impossible to remove by brushing and flossing alone. The more plaque that builds up around the tooth and then under the gum line can lead to gum disease.

Scaling and polishing is a professional dental cleaning that removes plaque, tartar (hardened plaque), and stains from teeth, by using tools to scrape off deposits (scaling) and then smoothing the surfaces (polishing) for a clean, bright finish, often with a fluoride treatment added. Performed by a hygienist or dentist, it's a routine part of oral care, though polishing may not always be needed if teeth are already smooth and stain-free.