What is a scale and polish, and how often do you need one?

A scale and polish is the removal of plaque and tartar from your teeth, usually done by a hygienist, followed by polishing the tooth surfaces smooth. It helps prevent decay and gum disease and is usually a separate appointment from a check-up. How often you need one depends on how quickly build-up forms on your own teeth.

In short

• A scale and polish removes plaque and built-up tartar from the teeth and finishes with a polish, done by a hygienist.
• It is usually a separate appointment from a dental check-up, though a dentist may suggest booking one after an examination.
• Plaque that is not removed can harden into tartar, which ordinary brushing cannot shift, and left alone can lead to decay or gum disease.
• It is not usually painful, though gums that are inflamed can feel tender while they are cleaned.
• How often you need one differs from patient to patient, and a dentist or hygienist advises on a suitable interval.

What does “scale and polish” actually mean?

The NHS describes a scale and polish as carefully removing the plaque and tartar that build up on your teeth, carried out by a hygienist. “Scaling” is the removal itself, from the surface of the tooth and from just below the gum line where a toothbrush cannot reach. “Polishing” follows, smoothing the tooth surface so that plaque finds it a little harder to stick again before your next visit. This appointment is generally carried out by one of the practice’s two oral hygienists.

What happens at the appointment?

The hygienist first looks at your mouth, then works around each tooth, removing plaque and tartar from the surface and along the gum line before polishing every tooth. How long this takes depends on how much build-up has formed, and a thorough clean can sometimes need more than one visit. Afterwards, the hygienist usually talks through brushing technique and flossing, so that the results last longer between appointments.

Is this the same as treatment for gum disease?

Not quite. A routine scale and polish is preventive, aimed at removing everyday build-up before it causes a problem. Where gum disease has already taken hold and the gum has pulled slightly away from the tooth to form a pocket, a dentist may recommend a more thorough version called scaling and root planing, which cleans further below the gum line and smooths the tooth root itself. This is a treatment for gum disease rather than a routine clean, and a dentist would discuss it separately if it were needed.

Does it hurt, and will my teeth feel sensitive afterwards?

A scale and polish is not usually painful, although gums that are already inflamed can feel tender while they are being cleaned. Teeth and gums can also feel more sensitive for a short time afterwards, particularly if there was gum inflammation beforehand, and this generally settles within a few days as gum health improves. If your gums bleed when you brush beforehand, a scale and polish is often part of what helps that settle, alongside better brushing and flossing at home.

How often do you need one?

This is not the same for everyone. It depends on how quickly plaque and tartar build up on your own teeth and on the health of your gums, and a dentist or hygienist advises on a suitable interval once they have examined you. Many people find this fits naturally around their ordinary dental check-up, and how often a check-up itself is needed is covered in How often should you go to the dentist?

How do I reach Dr Davies?

Hygienist appointments at BRS Dental on Strand Street, in Cape Town City Centre, are carried out by the practice’s two oral hygienists. To book, call Dr Davies directly on her own mobile, which is shown on this page. Fees for a scale and polish are discussed with reception.