Scale and Clean

A professional clean, also known as a scale and clean, is designed to remove plaque and tartar build up. Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. The bacteria produce toxins that inflame the gums. This inflammation is known as gingivitis which can lead to periodontal disease. Calculus, or tartar is a hard, calcified build-up which can't be removed with brushing and flossing. Calculus is effectively hardened plaque that has been left on the tooth for some time and is now firmly attached to the tooths surface. Calculus builds up in harder to reach areas and especially behind your lower front teeth. It forms above and below the gum line and can only be removed by a dental professional, this is the "scaling" part of a scale and clean. Such regimes will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. The “cleaning” part comes in when there is staining on your teeth from things such as tea, coffee, red wine and cigarette smoke.