When you go for a check-up, your dentist may do a 'scale and polish'. Essentially,
this is cleaning of your teeth where the dentist or hygienist will use a special
tool to get rid of the hard build up of tartar (calculus)then follow up by giving
the teeth a thorough polish. The dentist will probably concentrate on the areas
just below the gum line, behind your teeth and in the gaps in between them, as these
are the bits that we sometimes miss when we're brushing our teeth. The scale and
polish will help fight against gum disease - although you still need to do your
bit by brushing properly twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
The IDA recommends that you get a scaling and polishing done once in every six months
for the rest of your life.
This ensures that you have optimum oral health for the rest of your life.When your
dentist scales your teeth he also notices any sins of initial decay,etc which can
be tackled before getting worse.
As the name suggest,these instruments are used manually by the dentist. These come
in different sizes and shapes.This is so as to reach different parts of your
teeth. This is why you will see the hygienist changing instruments quite often.
These are routinely seen in most dental clinics nowadays .These use very fast ultrasonic
vibration with water. The water is sucked out of your mouth by a suction tip. A
hand scaler can then be used to check whether the teeth are completely clean.