Quick Test! Run your tongue along your teeth, from the back of your mouth to the front. Feels clean right? Well, this is a common mistake so many of us make, smooth teeth do not necessarily relate to good dental hygiene!
To help you understand how a scale and polish works, imagine you’re giving your car a good wash, you notice your last trip through the countryside has resulted in hard mud to dry and form lumps across your roof.
Your sponge can’t quite reach and the soapy water just isn’t strong enough. Well, now imagine the lumps are partially invisible, impossible to reach and harder than bone, not good!
Just like the annoying lumps on your car, ‘plaque’ is a yellowish substance primarily formed by bacteria. Plaque often absorbs mineral content from saliva, and as a result becomes a hard substance known as ‘calculus,’ or as we dentists like to refer to it, ‘tartar.’
This substance becomes harder than bone and cannot be removed by brushing or flossing. By scaling and polishing, we strategically and carefully remove the build-up of bacteria and ensure your teeth and gums are plaque free!
1) Hard To Reach
Fancy electronic toothbrushes, extensive flossing and even magic mouthwash fail to tackle tartar. No matter how comprehensive you perceive your hygiene routine to be, from my personal experience there are always areas of your mouth home hygiene methods simply cannot reach.
These ‘hard-to-reach’ areas are where plaque thrive and bacteria gather with ease, fortunately for us, a canon of specialised instruments and dedicated techniques have been developed and perfected to remove plaque and tarter.
The wide range of dental instruments we utilise here at Bright and White Dental Spa coupled with our expert facilities mean that you will be given the highest standard of treatment in a modern, comfortable and relaxing environment.
2) Bad Breath
One of the most common side effects of plaque build-up is known as ‘halitosis,’ or more commonly referred to as ‘bad breath,’ this is due to a build-up of bacteria.
In an article regarding “Microbiology and Treatment of Halitosis” by Walter J. Loesche, he estimates bad breath to be the third most frequent reason for people to seek dental care.
This could be due to the fact that bad breath carries with it social taboo’s often resulting in isolation and anxiety. If you adhere to a good brushing and flossing regime and still wake up with particularly harsh breath, a scale and polish may be just what you need.
Sufferers of bad breath may also benefit from teeth straightening treatments. From difficulty breathing to painful eating find out how teeth straightening can improve your life.
3) Prevention Is Better Than Cure
Never has ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ been more relevant. As a busy professional I am all too aware of how easily appointments and meetings can be pushed due to day to day priorities, but I cannot stress how important it is to maintain and promote a healthy oral hygiene practice.
With the build-up of plaque and consequently tartar, chances of developing ‘gingivitis’ also known as gum disease are considerably increased.
Symptoms of Gum Disease;
- Bleeding, swollen or tender gums
- Gums that have receded from teeth
- Bleeding when brushing or flossing
- Loose teeth
- Pain when chewing
- Misaligned bite
- Sensitive teeth
- Bad breath
This can lead to your gums separating from your teeth causing injury to the soft tissue and bone supporting each tooth.
Left unchecked teeth may become loose and may even require removing if infected. Read more here.
If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms, pop in today to find out if a simple scale and polish is the right treatment for you.
By undergoing this treatment, patients can lengthen the potential life-span of their teeth and gums whilst also improving their quality of life. Scale and polish treatments can take a varied amount of time depending on each patient, usual treatments last from 20 to 40 minutes.
