Scaling & EMS Air-Flow Polishing
Your teeth are continually bathed in saliva which contains calcium and other substances which help strengthen and protect the teeth. While this is a good thing, it also means that we tend to get a build-up of calcium deposits on the teeth. This chalky substance is tooth coloured and can easily be mistaken as part of the teeth, but it also can vary from brown to black in colour.
If the calculus (or tartar, as doctors call it) is allowed to accumulate on the teeth it will unfortunately provide the right conditions for bacteria to thrive next to the gums. The purpose of the cleaning and polishing is basically to leave the surfaces of the teeth clean and smooth so that bacteria are unable to stick to them and you have a better chance of keeping the teeth clean during your regular home care.
Dental cleaning removes the plaque (soft, sticky, bacteria infested film) and tartar (calculus) deposits that have built up on the teeth and under the gums over time.
What’s included in Scaling & Polishing?
The first step of a professional cleaning isscaling. At DP Dental, we use an ultrasonic instrument which sprays a cooling mist of water while it works to wash away debris and keep the area at a proper temperature. This removes the hard tartar buildup between your teeth and under the gums.
Scaling is followed by polishing, which removes stains usually left by coffee, tea and tobacco. While polishing is traditionally done with a paste and a slow speed rubber cup, at DP Dental we employ a new technology – the Prophy-jet EMS Airflow. This Swiss machine sprays out a jet of air, water and fine powder to thoroughly clean the teeth, on the surface and even in the gaps.
The prophylaxis powder is sodium bicarbonate, which provides good mechanical cleaning while being gentle to the teeth. The alkaline effect also protects against tooth decay while the osmotic effect supports the treatment of inflamed gingiva or gums. The EMS-Airflow can polish the teeth better than the traditional manual method, giving our patients more value for money.
Did you know?
The professional cleaning of teeth is sometimes referred to as prophylaxis (or prophy for short). It’s a Greek word which means “to prevent beforehand” – in this case, it helps prevent gum disease.
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