Teeth scaling – methods, recommendations, contraindications. What is scaling?

Proven content

Inadequate oral hygiene, smoking and drinking wine, coffee and tea are not indifferent to our teeth. In order to avoid cavities and serious dental diseases, it is necessary not only to brush your teeth regularly, but also to remember about dental procedures that will allow us to keep them in good condition. One of them is scaling. What is it and how often does it need to be performed?

What is tartar?

Even on thoroughly brushed teeth, a layer of soft deposit forms. When it is not removed, it mineralizes and hardens. Arose dental plaque it is also mineralized, and the resulting deposits are called tartar. It consists of protein, caries bacteria, plaque and food remnants.

Tartar can form both on the tooth – we are talking then about supragingival calculus – and under the gums – it is a subgingival calculus. If it is not removed regularly, it can lead to serious limescale dental diseases and gums, including periodontitis.

How do we know that tartar is forming on the surface of our teeth? When we notice a yellowish or white deposit on the teeth and in the spaces between them, which cannot be removed with a brush or floss, we can be sure that we are dealing with tartar. Since it is not possible to remove it yourself, a dental visit is necessary. In the office, the doctor will certainly decide to perform scaling.

Types and methods of scaling

Scaling treatment should be performed at least once a year. Smokers and people who drink a lot of coffee and tea should decide to do it every six months. Currently, several methods are used to perform scaling:

1. traditional, in which the procedure is performed using a manual scaler and tools such as chisels, sickles and hoes. However, it is an outdated and very inaccurate method, therefore it is being replaced by more modern methods;
2. chemical, in which the dentist puts 30 percent of the teeth on the surface of the teeth. perhydrol solution, the task of which is to dissolve the scale and rinse its residues with water under pressure;
3. mechanical, in which the patient’s teeth are milled, as a result of which pieces of tartar are chipped off;
4. laser, in which tartar is removed with a special laser;
5. sonic, in which tartar is removed using sound waves;
6. ultrasonic, in which the scale is removed with ultrasound; is currently the most widely used method.

Depending on the place where tartar is deposited, the dentist may perform two scaling: supragingival or subgingival.

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Supragingival scaling

The purpose of supragingival scaling is removal of tartar from tooth crowns. To remove limescale, the scaler head is placed against the tooth surface. Then, thanks to vibrations of the right frequency and water under the right pressure, the tartar is broken down. The place where the stone was located is polished, which prevents the formation of stone on the smooth surface of the tooth. The price of supragingival scaling is about PLN 150-200 for both dental arches.

Subgingival scaling

Subgingival scaling is much more complicated. It is considered a surgical procedure. It consists in removing the tartar that has deposited under the gums, in the so-called the gingival pocket. To remove calculus from under the gums, a scaler is not enough, you also need a curette, which is a special piece of equipment with a characteristic shape, thanks to which it is possible to “sweep” the stone from any space in the mouth, also from under the gums.

Often supragingival and subgingival scaling are performed at the same time to smooth the tooth surface, which will improve adhesion of the gingiva. After scaling, fluoridation is also used to strengthen the tooth root. Subgingival scaling of both dental arches costs about PLN 300.

Recommendations after the scaling procedure

Immediately after the procedure, we may experience discomfort and tooth sensitivity, which should disappear over time. Supragingival scaling is a painless procedure. In the case of subgingival surgery, it all depends on the patient’s pain resistance. Sometimes it is enough gum cooling with water during the procedure, and if the pain is unbearable for the patient, local anesthesia may be requested.

Contraindications for scaling

The tartar removal procedure cannot be performed in all patients. The contraindications of experts include:

1. pregnancy;
2. having an implanted pacemaker;
3. developed osteoporosis;
4. detachment of the retina of the eye;
5. having dental implants.

In the case of such patients, only traditional scaling is possible.

Tartar prevention

Removing tartar does not mean that we can return to our daily habits after leaving the office. Yes, it cannot be completely avoided scale formationbut you can reduce it to a great extent. To do this, it is enough to introduce a few important rules.

First of all, the right one oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth twice a day for 2-3 minutes is the absolute minimum. We should also not forget about the use of dental floss and an irrigator that will help us clean the interdental spaces from food residues remaining in them.

We should also remember that an ordinary manual toothbrush is not able to clean teeth as much as an electric or sonic toothbrush does. Therefore, if possible, it is worth investing in one of these devices. Sonic toothbrushes are especially recommended as they clean teeth more thoroughly and are easy to use. You should not forget about brushing the tongue, on which bacteria and food debris also settle, and which are responsible not only for the formation of scale and caries, but also for bad breath.