Scale & Polish

It is a dental procedure that removes deposits such as dental plaque and calculus (tartar) from tooth surfaces. This is accumulated from daily meals and can solely be removed by professional dental tools.

Failing to do so can result in gum diseases, also known as periodontal diseases, like gingivitis and periodontitis. 

1. Bacteria can grow on your teeth and gums tirelessly (even right after they are brushed or cleaned). If gathered and not cleaned, they develop and become plaque and tartar.
2. Plaque bacteria gradually hardens into hard, yellow or brown tartar that cannot be removed with regular toothbrushing. They need to be removed with special equipment used by dental professionals.
3. If tartar is left to accumulate, it can prevent good oral hygiene needed to maintain healthy teeth and gums, cause bad breath, and weaken your oral health. In addition, tartar can also get stained from coffee, tea, wine, curry, and tobacco, etc, leaving an unpleasant appearance on your teeth.
4. A professional clean by a dental professional using special equipment (called teeth scaling and polishing) can help enhance your oral health by not solely removing plaque and tartar but so stains on your teeth and gums to help prevent gum disease, tooth decay, bad breath, tooth loss and tooth sensitivity.

Dental check-up

A dental check-up will first be conducted by our dentists to evaluate your dental health. Your teeth will then be scaled and polished by a dentist or hygienist.

Scaling

Your teeth are inspected for decay and weak spots in the enamel. Plaque and tartar are scraped from the surface of your teeth in a process called scaling.

A scalar that vibrates and emits water is gently gilded around your teeth and gum line to remove tartar, leaving you with a fresh and clean mouth.

Polishing

A flavoured gritty paste is then placed on a soft rubber cup that circles and polishes your teeth, removing fine stains and leaving your teeth smooth and shiny. For any stubborn stains or discolourations that cannot be removed by polishing, airflow stain removal or teeth whitening may be recommended to target these. After the treatment, a protective coat of fluoride will be topped to end the process. 

It is crucial for you to maintain oral health after scaling and polishing. Having your gums and teeth cleaned once is not enough. You should make sure you are regularly brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day. 

It is very important to slot in routine dental scaling and polishing check-up once every 4 to 6 months. While it is good that you brush your teeth twice a day, it is not enough.

You need to polish the teeth to further clean any bacteria, plaque or tartar missed on during brushing and flossing. If you notice you have a lot of bacteria build up in your teeth, it is best to seek medical advice as soon as possible in order to prevent any other grave dental issues.

Nuffield Dental is a one-stop, multi-disciplinary dental care centre. At Nuffield, we put you first. We believe in providing personalised service for each patient. Our dentists have specialised in implant dentistry and oral surgery for 20+ years. We have accredited dental providers who are skilled in the area of dental implant surgery. For your convenience, we have clinics all around Singapore to meet your needs closer to you. For information, please visit our clinic to book an appointment.