K BHAGWANDIN
1.WHAT IS A SCALE AND POLISH?
A routine cleaning of your teeth to remove harmful substances such as plaque,calculus and staining.
2.WHY DO I NEED A CLEANING/CHECKUP?
- A routine 6 month check up and cleaning is important to diagnose and treat any oral conditions as early as possible.
- A full consult and x-rays are taken- this helps your dental professional to diagnose cavities,gum disease and any other oral conditions listed below.
- A)Cavities in its early stages may be reversed and sometimes may not require local anesthetic to treat.
- B)Gingivitis -is inflammation of the gums which can cause swelling,bleeding and bad breath- when treated early with a scale and polish -has the potential to be reversed.
- C)Cavities between teeth are quiet common, progress very quickly and difficult to detect until its too late-however these can be picked up on x-rays taken and treated early.
- D)Plaque/tartar-difficult to remove with toothbrush-can only be removed with a professional cleaning.
- When all of the above are treated early its can be less painful and inexpensive.
3.WHAT TO EXPECT?
- A full mouth checkup is done and x-rays are taken.
- Any cavities,gum disease or any other oral conditions are detected and a treatment plan is formed.
- Scaling -removal of plaque and calculus is removed.
4.HOW OFTEN IS IT DONE?
Usually every 6 months.
REFERENCES
- Importance of Regular Teeth Cleanings-Jeff Kindseth, DDS
- Clinical textbook of dental hygiene and therapy- Robert Ireland