What Happens During A Scale And Polish Procedure?

Why Ipswich patients should take advantage of our dental hygienist service.

In a number of our blogs, you may have spotted references to the dental hygienist on more than a few occasions. There is a good reason for this. Along with good quality home teeth cleaning, seeing the hygienist at our Ipswich practice at least twice a year is essential for anyone who wants to maintain healthy gums.

Although patients are encouraged to see the hygienist, this doesn’t necessarily mean that everybody actually does so. This is a real shame as, without these visits, they are increasing the risk of gum disease and also missing out on an opportunity to improve the appearance of their teeth as we will shortly see.

Why do you need the treatment anyway?

The reason that patients of our Ipswich dental clinic are encouraged to see the hygienist is that home teeth cleaning alone is not sufficient to keep your gums in good health. This is because bacteria and minerals collect on the teeth and around the gum line and harden. This hard ‘crust’ is known as tartar or calculus and is not effectively removed by home brushing. If you don’t see the hygienist or haven’t done so for some time, run your tongue on the surface of your teeth. You will find that they are not smooth. This rough surface then makes it easier for more bacteria and minerals to stick to it and start to infect the gums.

Without the scale and polish procedure, gum disease symptoms such as bad breath, soreness or loose teeth can start to occur, as can, at an advanced stage, tooth loss. Let us take a look them at the procedure that you will receive when you see the hygienist, known as a ‘scale and polish’.

Manual scaling

This is the first stage of the treatment and consists of the use of a hooked implement known as a dental scaler. This is used to ‘scrape’ away the bulk of the tartar that has become attached to the teeth and gums. This, and other parts of the procedure, is a painless one but some patients may feel a pulling sensation, especially when the hygienist is cleaning between the teeth. Despite this, no local anaesthetic is usually necessary for any part of this treatment.

Ultrasonic scaling

Having ‘scraped’ away the bulk of the crust around the teeth and gum line, the next step is to remove the rest of it. This is often done using a sonic scaler. This piece of equipment uses sound waves which vibrate at such a speed that they shatter the remaining tartar. This is entirely painless but does require a flow of water applied to the mouth to wash the debris away as it is removed from the teeth. This is a highly effective and efficient way of ridding the teeth of potentially harmful bacteria and deposits.

Final polish

The final part of a scale and polish procedure is one that polishes the teeth using a special brush and paste. This will brush away any remaining bacteria that remain, but not only that, it also helps to remove some surface staining from your teeth. While this won’t achieve the results of a cosmetic dental procedure such as teeth whitening, most patients will notice an improvement in the colour of their teeth after it.

Not only will your teeth most likely look nicer, but your mouth will feel fresher too, and, if you run your tongue along your teeth, you will notice how much smoother they are. This smooth surface helps to prevent tartar from attaching itself although this will eventually happen and is why you should see the hygienist on a six monthly ongoing basis.

What else should you expect from your appointment?

While the scale and polish is a key part of your visit, the hygienist will also take the opportunity to discuss your overall general health, including asking questions about your lifestyle that might affect it. Smokers, for example, may be given advice or directed to organisations that can help you quit. They may also offer advice on more general questions such as a particular type of toothpaste which you might benefit from.

One area of oral health maintenance that some people find difficult to carry out is flossing. If this applies to you, please speak to the hygienist about it and they will be able to demonstrate how to do this correctly.

While most of our patients do keep their dental visits regular, we do also encourage you to do the same with the hygienist. This is a very important part of your treatment and one which you will benefit from if you maintain them.

If you would like to contact us to arrange an appointment with the oral hygienist at the Foxhall Dental Practice, you can do so by calling us today on 01473 258396. We look forward to assisting you.