Tooth Scaling and Polishing

Dental health is an essential part of overall health. Maintaining healthy teeth and gums is a lifelong commitment. The earlier you take care of your oral health and learn oral hygiene habits like flossing, brushing Tooth Scaling, and Polishing,

Furthermore,  limiting your sugar intake, the easier it will be to avoid costly dental procedures.

Poor oral hygiene can lead to dental cavities and gum diseases. These diseases can lead to heart diseases, cancer, and diabetes. Poor oral hygiene, smoking or use of tobacco products, teeth stains therefore can lead to the accumulation of tartar leads to gum diseases.

These gum diseases are often caused due to build of plaque bacteria.

According to a study conducted by WHO dental cavities and gum diseases are common. According to them:

• About 60 to 90 percent of the school children have dental cavities
• Nearly 100 percent of adults have at least one cavity.
• Between 15 and 20 percent of  adults ages, 35 to 44 have severe gum diseases

There are a number of steps you can take to maintain your oral health. these are:

• 1. brushing your teeth twice a day
  2. flossing your teeth at least once a day
  3. decreasing the intake of sugar
  4. eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables
  5. avoiding tobacco products

Let us discuss Tooth Scaling and Polishing.

Teeth Scaling

Teeth Scaling is done by your dentist or hygienist to remove all the plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) above and below the gum line, to clean all the way down to the bottom of the pocket.

This procedure can help stop the harmful effects of Tooth Cavities and tartar and keep your mouth healthy.

What Happens in our Mouth when we Eat?

In our Mouth, two processes take place throughout the day.

When we eat something during the day, the bacteria present in our mouths use the sugar components of the food to form acids. These acids if accumulated can cause plaque build, tooth decay, or cavities. These acids eat away the outer surface of the tooth i.e. tooth enamel.

On the other hand, saliva contains important minerals like calcium and phosphate as well as fluoride from toothpaste. This eventually helps the enamel to repair itself.

Symptoms of Dental Problems

You should not wait for any symptoms to occur to visit a dentist. You should regularly visit the dentist at least twice a year.

If you experience any of the warning signs, visit your dentist as soon as possible.

1. swelling in the gums
2. bleeding in the gums and teeth while brushing and flossing them
3. sudden sensitivity to hot and cold food and beverages
4. pain in the tooth or toothache
5. swelling of the face and cheek

Causes of Dental Problems

There are a number of poor hygiene habits that cause dental problems. These are

Smoking or using tobacco products causes stains on the teeth that can become tartar. Poor brushing habits or not brushing your teeth can cause toothache and teeth sensitivity.

Eating a lot of sugary and starchy food and drinks can cause cavities. Studies suggest that genetics or family history also plays an important role.

Certain infections like HIV or Aids can cause dental problems. Certain medications that reduce the amount of saliva in the mouth can cause dental problems.

As mentioned above, there are different causes of dental problems. Cavities and plaque as explained as follows.

 

Cavities

A Cavity is formed due to the excess presence of acids that damage the outer coating of the tooth.

When we eat food and take drinks frequently that have sugar components in them, then the acid attacks on the tooth increases. The repeated cycle causes the enamel of the tooth to decay.

As a result, a while spot may appear where minerals have been lost. This is a sign of early tooth decay.

Learn more about Dental Cavities in our blog.

Plaque

A sticky film coating formed on your teeth is known as plaque. It is actually a community of living microbes on our teeth which is surrounded by a polymer layer.

To understand it more, it is a sticky film or coating that coats our teeth when we wake up in the morning.

When we do not brush our teeth regularly, it can accumulate minerals from saliva and harden it off. This is called Tartar.

If tartar is building up in your teeth, you can see it on the front and back of the teeth.

 

If you see any of the following symptoms you should visit the doctor or hygienist as soon as possible. To reduce the risk of gum diseases that can lead to Gingivitis or to help you stop it from becoming more serious, your dentist may recommend you Tooth Scaling and Polishing. However, it is done only when the disease is in the early stages.

What happens During Teeth Scaling?

Teeth scaling is done after your appointment with the doctor. Your dentist may or may not use local anesthesia. It is usually used to lessen the amount of pain or discomfort during the procedure.

This step involves scraping the plaque from your teeth and in any large pockets that have developed between your teeth and gums.

In the next step, your dentist will do teeth planning. In this step, your dentist will use a scaling tool to smooth out the tooth roots. This helps your gums to reattach to your teeth.

Traditionally dentists use scalar and a curette to scale or plain your teeth. It is also done using lasers and ultrasonic devices.

Moreover, your dentist may use antimicrobial agents or prescribe oral antibiotics to help you heal faster.

Benefits of Teeth Scaling

After your teeth have been cleaned, you will notice visible changes in your teeth. These benefits are to prevent tooth decay that is caused due to cavities and plaque, to prevent gum diseases, to relieve you from bad breath, and detect there are more serious dental issues.

By reducing the pockets, you will reduce the risk of experiencing tooth, bone, and tissue loss associated with chronic periodontal disease.

 

Teeth Polishing

Tooth polishing is the procedure that leaves your tooth enamel glossy and smooth. The purpose of this is to remove extrinsic stains, remove dental plaque build, increase aesthetics, and reduce corrosion of metallic restorations

Your dentist will combine the procedure of Tooth Scaling and Polishing. This results in a fresher breath. Furthermore, it helps you avoid tooth decay.

What is Tooth Polishing?

Tooth polishing is the final step of tooth-cleaning appointments.

Your dentist or hygenist will perform this procedure if you show early signs and symptoms of Tooth decay or gum disease.

They will buff and polish your teeth, which removes the stains from your teeth. They will then floss your teeth and use a protective layer of fluoride. Moreover, it is a professional clean that removes stains from your teeth.

There are several types of Tooth Polishing.

Therapeutic polishing: Your dentist will expose the cementum that covers the roots during this procedure. to remove microflora and endotoxin from the surface of the cementum, they will do this procedure.

Cosmetic polishing: This type of polishing involves the removal of plaque and dental stains. To make your enamel look glossy and brighter, they will use Abrasive agents.

Superficial polishing: In this technique, your dentist will polish the crown. To improve the aesthetic appearance of your teeth, your dentist will carry out this procedure.

Selective polishing: To remove any remaining stains on your teeth, your dentist will do this procedure.

 

Benefits of Tooth Polishing

Studies suggest that there are a number of benefits of tooth polishing. Some of these benefits are:

It prevents persistent unpleasant breath. Regular flossing and brushing are not enough. It helps to make your mouth odor-free and healthy.

Plaque can cause tooth decay and if not treated in time it can lead to cavities. Tooth polishing gets rid of early signs of cavities.

Regular tooth polishing can help you avoid gum diseases that can cause destruction to the bone supporting your tooth causing it to fall.

Taking foods and drinks like barriers, tea or coffee can leave stains on your teeth. This affects your confidence and self-esteem.

Teeth Scaling and Polishing removes built-up stains. It leaves you with fresh and attractive polished teeth.

If you are do not treat the early signs of cavities and gum infection, therefore, leading to the removal of your tooth.

What to Expect during Tooth Scaling and Polishing?

After the procedure, you are less likely to visit your dentist or hygienist. You might have to re-schedule an appointment to make sure that the procedure worked and there are no further infections.

You can continue normal oral care like brushing your teeth, flossing regularly. Furthermore,  you should eat a balanced diet and visit your dentist regularly to avoid the condition to return.

 

Precautions After the Treatment of Teeth Scaling and Polishing

Tooth polishing does not pose any threat to your dental and oral health. However certain conditions require gentle polishing methods.YOu might feel Teeth Sensitivity for a few days, however, it subsides with time.

Toothache can cause pain after the treatment. Learn more about the Toothache remedies hare.

However, in case you have sensitive teeth, your dentist may recommend less aggressive cup polishing.

Polishing alone will not help you prevent tooth decay unless it is a part of the cleaning routine that includes teeth scaling and flossing.

Moreover, dentists recommend that every 6 months you should take an appointment for teeth scaling and polishing to keep your teeth glossy.

Conclusion

Dental and oral health is important as physical health. as mentioned in the article, if we do not take care of oral health it might cause various diseases related to heart, cancer, and diabetes. To avoid tooth decay, cavities, and tooth loss, you should have regular appointments with your dentist. He or she can help you diagnose any underlining condition that may cause severe health problems in the future.

To treat chronic periodontal disease, your dentist will plan Tooth Scaling and oot Planning. You may need one or more appointments with your dentist. you can feel mild signs of Sensitivity but it subsides with time. After your dentist will do the procedure of Scaling they will do Tooth Polishing. It is a simple process. Usually paired with tooth scaling, it results in smooth, white, and bacteria-free teeth.