This is the single most effective appointment for preventing cavities and gum disease, and it is also the one people skip most often.
Plaque that is not brushed off hardens into tartar, which a toothbrush cannot remove. Tartar sitting at the gumline is what drives the inflammation, bleeding and eventual bone loss of gum disease. Scaling removes it. Polishing afterwards smooths the surfaces so plaque takes longer to build back up.
It takes about half an hour and it is not the ordeal people expect. Bleeding during a cleaning is a sign the gums were already inflamed, not that the cleaning caused it, and it settles within days once the tartar is gone.
Every six months is the right interval for most people. If you smoke, have diabetes, or have had gum problems before, we may suggest coming more often, and we will explain why rather than just booking it.
