Scale and Polish

A scale and polish for your teeth is an essential part of preventative dental care. It helps in keeping your teeth clean, fights and prevents gum disease (gingivitis), and brightens your smile.

Throughout our daily meals, plaque (a white film of bacteria) forms on the surface of our teeth and hardens into calculus (tartar), after 24 hours. If it’s left on long without cleaning (once it turns into calculus), it can only be removed by a dentist, as well as increasing the risk of getting gum disease.

Signs and symptoms of gingivitis include: redness, swollen gums, and having a tendency to bleed easily (while brushing teeth, etc.). Once the gum disease gets worse, your teeth may loosen and could damage the bone that connects your teeth to your jaw. In more extreme cases and if it is left untreated, teeth can start to fall out. Fortunately, gingivitis can be reversed if it’s found in early stages.

Visit your dentist routinely for a scale and polish to avoid plaque from accumulating and causing gum disease. We recommend coming in for this cleaning every 6 months (3 months for some patients) and make sure you brush and floss thoroughly on a daily basis.