Many people are anxious about dental appointments, and those with a hygienist are no exception to this. In this article, we will outline the process of a scale and clean appointment and share some key benefits to keeping up with this part of your dental hygiene routine.
Initially at your scale and clean appointment, the hygienist will examine your teeth and gums to note any problem areas that need specific focus. This will be followed by a manual process with a tool called a scaler, which scrapes away the bulk of plaque and tartar on the visible areas of your teeth and gums.
After this, ultrasonic scaling is the next step to remove plaque and tartar from between the teeth and below the gumline, using sound waves to shatter any remaining deposits.
Finally, the teeth with be polished to remove any bacteria still on the teeth and break down stains, leaving your teeth fresh, white and smooth.
Contents
1. Removing Stubborn Plaque and Tartar
Plaque is a stick substance on and between the teeth which bacteria feed on and use as a breeding ground. Tartar is the consequence of untreated plaque, and is a hardened, calcified deposit that contributes to tooth decay by allowing bacteria to become unreachable by toothbrushes and mouthwash.
Good oral hygiene at home (which includes regular brushing, flossing and mouthwash use) cannot fully prevent the build-up of plaque and it cannot remove any hardened tartar which forms, which makes scale and clean appointments vital to the health of your mouth.
Scaling is done initially with a manual tool to scrap away plaque and tartar, then with an ultrasonic scaler which can break up calcified tartar deposits. It is important to prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar to avoid unpleasant symptoms, which may include bad breath and cavities. Scale and clean appointments with your hygienist should not be missed.
2. Preventing Gum Disease and Cavities
Tartar build-up is a leading cause of gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease. While it is easy to reverse at that stage, it would be far better to avoid the development of gingivitis at all. Six-monthly hygienist appointments to scale and clean your teeth and gums can detect problem areas and remove tartar before the build-up causes the development of gum disease.
The persistent presence of bacteria in the mouth can lead to cavities and ongoing pain in the teeth and jaw, so it is far better to stop problems in their tracks, before escalation.
Prevention of gum disease reduces the need for more invasive, expensive and potentially painful treatments such as dental fillings or root canal treatment. Your hygienist plays a key role in this prevention and monitoring.
3. Achieving Fresher Breath and a Brighter Smile
Tartar provides the perfect conditions for bacteria to exist and multiply, providing them with places to hide that prevent access by regular cleaning or mouthwash use. These bacteria then produce volatile sulphur compounds (known as VSCs) which release a foul odour and cause bad breath.
Tartar cannot be removed by brushing your teeth or flossing, so the bacteria continue to live, reproduce and make unpleasant smells and tastes in the mouth. Below the gumline, it can trap bacteria too, leading to inflammation and infection as well as bad breath and a duller smile.
There are numerous cosmetic benefits to maintaining your scale and clean appointments. Tooth staining is reduced by the removal of tartar and the final polish process. Polished enamel is much harder for plaque and tartar to stick to, meaning that bad breath and staining are reduced afterwards. Both of these contribute to the return of a white, confident smile.
4. Protecting Your Overall Health
Your mouth and body are inextricably connected. Oral health can have an impact on the whole body. Infection and inflammation can spread around the body and cause problems in various bodily systems.
Some specific conditions can also be linked to or affected by gum disease:
- Heart disease: Bacteria from infection in the gums can enter the bloodstream and travel to the heart where it can cause significant damage that leads to atherosclerosis, otherwise known as hardening of the arteries.
- Diabetes: High blood sugar due to unmanaged diabetes weakens the immune system, which makes infections caused by gum disease more severe and harder for the body to fight. Gum disease can increase blood sugar too, which can make diabetes more difficult to manage.
- Pregnancy: Hormonal changes can make pregnant people more susceptible to gum disease, as there is less blood flow to the gums which can become more easily inflamed.
Regular scale and clean appointments prevent bacteria build-up in the mouth that leads to gum inflammation and infection, so it follows that keeping up with appointments can lead to an overall reduction in systemic inflammation in the body, protecting your wellbeing.
5. Save Money in the Long Run
Across Australia, many people delay their dental appointments for financial reasons. It is important to note, however, that routine scale and clean appointments are much more affordable than the restorative work required to undo the damage caused by repeatedly missing hygienist appointments. Regular scale and clean appointments are relatively low-cost, and a predictable cost too.
If plaque and tartar build up on the teeth and gums, treatments can become necessary that are much more invasive and expensive. These include fillings, root canal treatment and tooth extraction. Emergency dental appointments when it all goes wrong as a result of gum disease can be expensive and stressful for patients.
Many health insurance policies will cover one or two scale and clean appointments in a year, at little or no out-of-pocket cost. Prevention of dental damage is an investment in your health that will help you to save money long term by avoiding large, unexpected bills.
Closing Thoughts
In summary, you shouldn’t miss your scale and clean appointments for a variety of reasons. Appointments with a dental hygienist help to remove stubborn plaque and tartar from your teeth and gums, they prevent the development of gum disease and cavities, they help you to have fresher breath and a brighter smile, they protect your wider health and can save you money in the long run.
Regular scale and clean appointments are small investments with a large reward. We encourage you to book in with one of our friendly hygienists from Dental @ Niddrie, to ensure your dental health now and in the future. Get in touch with our team today to get started.
