Why scaling matters

As you know, brushing and flossing twice a day is the best way to remove dental plaque. But when plaque is not completely removed, it hardens and becomes tartar. Unfortunately, once that stage is reached, only a dental professional can help.

The hygienist does the scaling after the complete oral exam. The cleaning is done with a small metal curette designed for this purpose. Once the tartar is removed, the hygienist usually goes on to polish the teeth to remove visible stains from their surface. To do this, a gritty paste is applied to a rotating electric brush. Finally, to make sure all the spaces between the teeth are clean, the hygienist finishes the session by flossing.

If you skip regular cleanings at the dentist, chronic halitosis (persistent bad breath) is a risk and, worse still, your gums may be seriously affected. In fact, untreated gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in people over 35.