Scaling & Polishing

A professional tooth cleaning is often referred to as prophylaxis. It’s a Greek word meaning ‘to prevent beforehand.’ In the realm of dentistry, it’s helping to prevent gum disease.

Professional cleanings involve removing plaque and tartar that have built up on the teeth over time. If the build-up continues to accumulate on the teeth, bacteria will settle next to the gums causing them to become inflamed or infected, leading to gum disease.

We polish the teeth so that the surfaces are clean and smooth and bacteria are unable to stick to them. The dentist will use water, a variety of specialized tools, and vibrations to loosen the plaque and tartar so that they can be removed from both on and between the teeth.

Professional cleanings also give our dentists a chance to really look at your teeth. We will do a thorough examination to make sure that you don’t have any other problems that need to be addressed. We are hoping to catch any little problems before they become bigger ones!