Dentists recommend dental scaling if they see that you have gum disease. Dental scaling is widely prescribed to prevent gum disease (periodontitis) from spreading further and getting worse. This does not involve any surgery and helps in regaining the health of your gums.
Plaque and acids from certain types of foods lead to inflammation of the tissue surrounding the gums which can impact your teeth and the supporting bone as well. Gum disease is commonly seen in people who have poor oral hygiene. Please search for a dental hygienist Calgary nw, if you have any symptoms of gum disease.
The process of dental scaling involves using hand tools, ultrasonic tools, or a combination of both. Your dentist will initially assess your oral health and examine your gums to check for any visible signs of gum disease. This is followed by the cleaning of bacteria caused by plaque buildup using sonic vibrations done by an ultrasonic scaling device. The ultrasonic scaling device not only removes plaque but also removes tartar and biofilm from both the tooth surface and beneath the gum line. Any remaining plaque is then cleaned manually using a hand tool.
Root planing is the process of detailed dental scaling to minimize inflammation of the gum tissue. Since dental scaling and planning may cause the teeth to become a little rough and appear dull, your dentist may recommend tooth polishing after this.
Tooth polishing is a part of restorative dentistry. This procedure aims at restoring the appearance and sheen of your teeth after they have gone through dental scaling and planing. However, your dentist may recommend tooth polishing for other reasons as well.
Teeth polishing can be done using various appliances. Commonly a device called a prophy cup (motorized rubber cup) is used to buff your teeth. A polishing compound may also be used while using a prophy cup.
Another procedure used for polishing your teeth is called air-powder polishing. In this method, a device called Prophy-jet sprays a mixture of warm water and baking soda powder. This spray can reach difficult to access areas and can polish crevices and the sides of your teeth which are inaccessible for the prophy cup. However, please reach out to your dentist to check if you are a suitable candidate for this procedure as there are a few contraindications for air-polishing.
The process of scaling and polishing helps to prevent the spread of gum disease and should be done at regular intervals. Please search for a dental hygienist Calgary nw, to find your nearest dentist to book an appointment.
