What is Scaling?
Our oral health care should include daily brushing and flossing. Nevertheless, how well we take care of our teeth, plaque and tartar build-up are inevitable for everyone. One of the effective preventive dentistry procedures for removing plaque, tartar & calculus is regular dental cleaning and polishing. It also detects oral threats in the beginning stage and prevents them. This procedure is called scaling & polishing.
Scaling and polishing of the teeth by a dentist or a dental care professional (DCP) (dental therapist or dental hygienist) is also known as conventional periodontal therapy, deep cleaning, prophylaxis and professional mechanical plaque removal. It is a non-surgical intervention that is intended to supplement (and is not a substitute for) the patient’s home‐care plaque control. The word non-surgical periodontal therapy denotes dental biofilm removal and control, supragingival and subgingival scaling, root planing, and adjunctive treatments such as chemotherapy. The basic objective is the restoration of periodontal health. In other words, dental scaling is a preventive, rather than curative, approach to periodontal disease and tooth loss.
How scaling is done?
Polishing is the mechanical removal of any residual extrinsic stains and deposits, typically undertaken by using a rubber cup or bristle brush loaded with a prophylaxis paste.
Dental scaling can take several sessions, each one addressing a different part of the mouth. Some dentists split the mouth into four quadrants, while others will perform the scaling in two halves. The number of scaling sessions required and the amount of time required are individualized depending on each patient’s specific needs.
Benefits of Regular Scaling of Teeth:
Let’s understand each benefit of regular teeth cleaning and polishing
While regular brushing can remove plaque, the places that a patient misses during brushing can develop tartar. Tartar is the hardened form of plaque, also known as calculus, that does not come off with regular brushing. A trained professional needs to scrape off this tartar from each tooth. By removing tartar and plaque from a patient’s teeth, a hygienist gets rid of places where bacteria can stick to the teeth and cause tooth and gum problems.
- Reduces caries or cavities on teeth
Bacteria sticking to the accumulated calculus is a major cause of caries/cavities on teeth. By regular removal of tartar/calculus from teeth, we reduce the chances of developing new caries. Moreover, scaling also detects new caries, which can be treated or arrested at an early stage. Thereby reducing the incidence of deep caries, which may require pulpectomy/root canal treatment.
Plaque doesn’t just decay your teeth. It also damages gums when it builds up below the gum line and thus causes diseases in gums. Like other oral health issues, gum disease, too, responds best to early intervention. The best way to prevent gum diseases is to have a good oral hygiene regime both at home and with help from the top dental hospital in Jaipur. Teeth surfaces become rough and uneven due to the presence of tartar & calculus. The gums (periodontium) lose their attachment to the teeth in these rough areas. The top dentist in Jaipur will remove the plaque along the gumline of the tooth and smoothen the tooth to reattach to the gums. Bacteria and plaque are less likely to stick to the smooth surfaces of treated teeth. Thus inflammation decreases, and periodontium heals. Over time, the regular removal of these deposits can reduce gingivitis (a mild form of gum disease) and prevent progression to periodontitis (severe gum disease) if the gum disease is at an advanced stage (periodontitis), teeth scaling and root planning a prerequisite before going in for surgery (flap surgery) for keeping gums healthy.
If it progresses to an advanced level (periodontitis), gum disease can also lead to tooth loss. Since periodontitis is a common cause of tooth loss, especially in older adults, regular dental cleanings lower the chances of periodontal diseases. Removing dental plaque and calculus deposits may help reduce gingival bleeding and inflammation, pocket formation along the teeth, and mobility of teeth, thereby reducing gum disease and, ultimately, tooth loss.
One of the benefits of teeth cleaning is surface stain removal. Some daily habits, such as drinking coffee, tea, and wine or using tobacco products, can cause stains on teeth. Brushing removes some of this, but stubborn stains still remain on the teeth. Over time calculus can build up on teeth, and this hard substance can look yellow. Professional scaling and cleaning remove all hardened calculus lifting some surface stains and thus brightening one’s smile. While this process does not whiten teeth, it does help teeth look cleaner.
- Prevent bad breath (halitosis)
Many people mistakenly believe bad breath is caused by the foods they eat, but this is not always the case. Bad breath has several etiological factors, ranging from indigestion, diabetes, poor oral hygiene, a decayed tooth, etc. Tartar build-up is often the main culprit, so the only way to cure chronic bad breath for good is to remove the gunk on teeth and gums. Good oral hygiene habits are the best way to prevent halitosis or chronic bad breath. Brushing, flossing and tongue cleaning are suitable methods to keep bad breath at bay, but these alone cannot help when there is an underlying dental issue such as tartar build-up. In such cases, the patient struggles with bad breath despite taking good care of their mouth. Scaling, which is a technique the best dentists in Jaipur use to remove tartar build-up from along the gum line, is necessary to freshen a patient’s breath.
Oral health affects the rest of the body more than we probably realize. Gum disease has been linked to many severe health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, miscarriages and even dementia and certain cancers. While the exact reasons remain unknown, doctors know that bacteria from the mouth can enter the blood vessels and travel to other parts of the body, causing issues. For this reason, treating dental infections quickly is essential to preventing systemic infections. Professional scaling and cleaning is an effortless way to reduce this risk.
- Save money on restorative dentistry
One of the biggest reasons people skip routine teeth cleanings is to save a few bucks. However, the cost to clean and polish your teeth is far less than the restorative dentistry required to fill a cavity or treat periodontal disease. As it turns out, a bit of preventive care helps you avoid unpleasant and potentially costly problems in the future. With regular dental cleanings, you keep your teeth healthier and prevent tooth decay. By avoiding decay and the additional problems caused by it, a patient can spend less at the top dental clinic in Jaipur because they won’t need restorative procedures such as fillings, root canal treatments or crowns.
Last but not least, making regular visits to the best dentist in Jaipur for cleanings helps to reduce anxiety. When the patient knows the staff at the top dental clinic in Jaipur, they can feel more comfortable talking to them about their concerns. So, get to know your dental clinic staff in Jaipur by making regular appointments for cleanings and exams.
