“Is polishing necessary after scaling?”
I am a 54 year old male. I want to know if polishing is necessary after scaling?
4 Answers
No, but helpful. Not done during pandemic unless aerosol precautions.
Yes, to smooth the tooth surfaces after scaling of your teeth. Polishing makes it more difficult for plaque/bacteria to attach to your teeth.
Polishing is that last step in a full dental prophylaxis (cleaning). It removes the residual plaque and pellicle layer from the surfaces of the teeth. That said, if you are having a periodontal scaling (deep sub-gingival removal of calculus from the root surfaces) or a gross removal of calculus from all of your teeth, a polishing may NOT be part of the service provided to you.
Yes. Is washing your plate important after picking off the food? Just poking fun The point of scaling is to remove the larger particles of hard plaque from your teeth. Polishing removes the rest of plaque or tarter that is present. It helps prevent faster buildup leaving a clean surface. It’s this plaque and tarter that irritates the gums that lead to gum disease and other problems.
Dr J
Dr J
