Understanding the root cause of a health problem is an important step in choosing the right treatment and achieving long-term results. We follow the same principle when it comes to dental health. Although it gives us confidence when our smile looks healthy and bright, the root cause of our dental health occurs in the places that hide in and around the teeth. That’s why scaling is the first and most important step to a healthy smile.

What is Tartar Cleaning?

Scaling is the process of removing stains, plaque and tartar that have formed around the teeth for various reasons. Thanks to this process, these harmful structures in the gums around the teeth are removed and the mouth regains its ideal hygiene. It is not possible to perform scaling without visiting a doctor. Scaling is a procedure that should be performed professionally by dentists.

Who Can Get Tartar Removal?

Tartar can form around the teeth and gums due to poor oral hygiene, irregular or no tooth brushing, smoking, excessive consumption of junk food during the day. This can often lead to bad breath and/or bleeding and receding gums. Even if there are no such complaints, if the presence of tartar is detected by the dentist, scaling should be performed. In this way, oral hygiene is optimized.

In addition, braces may require the use of cleaning tools such as special brushes and dental floss that allow better access to the areas between and around the teeth. Therefore, scaling with braces is important to maintain the health and cleanliness of the teeth. Regular dental check-ups and cleanings in combination with braces can help prevent tartar build-up and reduce the risk of cavities. People with braces should follow their dentist’s instructions.

How to Remove Tartar?

Scaling is done with tools called cavitrons, which are made of a metal piece with a tip and prevent the teeth from heating by extracting water from the tip. These tools, which break the calculus with vibration and remove it from the area, do not cause any damage to the teeth. Local anesthesia is usually not required during this procedure. During this procedure, which lasts approximately 45 minutes, there may be slight aching in the teeth, but there is absolutely no unbearable pain. Patients with unbearable pain are cleaned region by region in 2 or 4 sessions under local anesthesia. After the tartar is cleaned with cavitron and the teeth and gums are completely cleaned, the stains on the teeth are removed with a special paste and brush and the scaling process is completed.

What Should Be Considered After Scaling?

Some situations that need to be considered have been determined by the comments of those who have undergone dental scaling and the experiences of the physician. After scaling, it is very important to pay attention to some important points to ensure that the clean and healthy smile obtained is long-lasting. Here is what to pay attention to after scaling:

1. Maintain Oral Hygiene Habits:

Maintain your oral hygiene habits after scaling. Brush your teeth regularly, floss and use mouthwash to keep bacteria growth under control. This will help prevent the formation of new tartar.

2. Regular dental check-ups:

Continuing regular dental check-ups after scaling is vital for early detection of potential dental problems. Remember to go for check-ups at the intervals determined by your dentist.

3. Healthy Eating Habits:

A healthy diet positively affects the condition of your teeth and gums. Avoid sugary and acidic foods and make sure to eat fiber-rich foods.

4. Limit Smoking and Alcohol Consumption:

Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can negatively affect dental health. Avoiding these harmful habits will help keep your teeth white and healthy.

5. Mouth Protective Appliances:

If you suffer from teeth clenching or grinding, consider using mouth guards such as night guards. These devices prevent you from damaging your teeth.

6. Keep Dental Health Equipment Up to Date:

Remember that your toothbrush and dental floss should be replaced regularly. Outdated or worn out equipment cannot provide an effective cleaning.

7. Avoid Stress:

Stress can cause dental problems such as clenching and grinding. Managing stress can help protect your dental health.

How often is scaling performed?

Although it is said that scaling should be done every 6 months, the important thing is to go to the dentist for a routine check-up every 6 months. If your dentist detects tartar during these checks, scaling should be performed. However, people who pay close attention to oral hygiene do not develop tartar in 6 months, and in such cases there is no need for tartar cleaning. It will only be sufficient to perform the polishing process we call polishing.

Does Tartar Removal Hurt?

Scaling is usually not a painful procedure. However, patients with sensitive teeth may feel a very slight tingling during scaling. Pain may be felt after scaling, but this is usually temporary. During scaling, the sensitivity of your teeth may increase due to mineral deposits carried from the tooth surfaces. In addition, your gums may become slightly irritated. This sensitivity usually occurs immediately after the cleaning or may last for a few hours. Rarely, this sensitivity can last for several days, but in this case the pain after scaling is not severe. Sensitivity may increase to stimuli such as cold or hot drinks, hard or spicy foods.

Periodontology is the branch of dentistry that plays a critical role in making patients’ smiles healthy and bright again by focusing on dental health during the scaling process, and gingival recession is one of the main conditions that fall under this branch. Gum recession (gingival retraction) after scaling is rare and usually does not occur if the cleaning is done correctly. In fact, scaling is an important step to maintain the health of the gums and prevent gum problems. However, improper scaling or too much pressure can damage the gums and lead to gum recession.

What should be done to prevent tartar formation?

The most important thing we can do for scaling at home is to brush your teeth twice a day, once before going to bed and once after waking up in the morning. Although it is thought that teeth should be brushed after breakfast, brushing as soon as you wake up increases your saliva secretion and allows you to grind food more easily with the antimicrobials in saliva. After brushing, cleaning the front teeth (6 teeth including the canines and the 4 teeth between them) with dental floss, and cleaning the premolars and molars with an interface brush of the diameter recommended by your dentist will help prevent caries and tartar that will form at the interfaces of the teeth. The ideal tooth brushing time is 2-3 minutes. After all these procedures, gargling with mouthwash will prevent the formation of tartar to a great extent.

How Long Does Tartar Removal Take?

The duration of scaling can vary depending on various factors. The answer to the question of how many minutes scaling takes usually depends on the current condition of the person’s teeth, the health of the gums and the amount of accumulated tartar. Here are the factors that affect the duration of scaling:

1. Scaling Amount:

Scaling may vary depending on the amount of tartar. A light buildup can be removed in a shorter period of time, while heavy buildups can take more time.

2. Condition of Teeth:

The general health of the teeth also affects the cleaning time. Cleaning can be faster with healthy teeth, but if there are dental problems such as gum disease or tooth decay, treatment may be required, which can increase the time.

3. Method used:

The method used for scaling also affects the duration. Professional dentists can effectively remove tartar using specialized scaling tools and devices. In some cases, ultrasonic devices or traditional hand tools may be used.

4. Personal Factors:

The patient himself or herself can also affect the duration. For example, sitting in an uncomfortable position or personal discomfort can prolong the cleaning time. Generally, a standard scaling procedure takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour. However, in more complex cases or those requiring more build-up, the time may be longer. Therefore, your dentist will give you more specific information about the treatment time that is appropriate for you.

Remember that regular dental cleaning appointments are important to prevent tartar buildup and maintain dental health. Your dentist can advise you on how often these cleanings should be performed.

What to Do and What Not to Do After Scaling?

There are some behaviors that should be followed and avoided after scaling. Here are the dos and don’ts after scaling:

1. Brush your teeth:

After scaling, it is very important to continue regular tooth brushing as the tooth surfaces are cleaner. After scaling, brushing should not be interrupted, and the process should be repeated after each meal in the manner and technique recommended by your dentist.

2. Use Dental Floss:

Although scaling removes plaque and debris from between teeth, flossing is great for removing food debris and plaque from between teeth. Flossing regularly protects dental health. In addition, the space formed after scaling should be carefully cleaned between the teeth with a brush or thread.

3. Use Mouthwash:

Using a mouthwash recommended by your dentist can reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth. However, mouthwash is not an alternative to brushing or flossing.

4. Stay Hydrated:

Drinking plenty of water balances acid levels in the mouth and increases saliva production. This protects your teeth.

What Not to Do:

1. Avoid Immediate Exposure to Hot or Cold Food and Drinks:

Your teeth may be sensitive after scaling. Therefore, avoid immediate exposure to hot or cold foods and drinks. Wait for a while and let your teeth return to normal.

2. Do not smoke and use tobacco products:

Smoking and using tobacco products negatively affect dental health and can accelerate tartar buildup. Avoid smoking after scaling.

3. Avoid Excessive Alcohol Consumption:

Excessive alcohol consumption can damage oral health. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption after scaling.

4. Avoid Sugary Foods and Drinks:

Sugary foods and drinks can lead to tooth decay. Avoid adding such products to your meal routine after scaling or brush your teeth afterwards.

5. Don’t Neglect Problems Not Reported to the Doctor:

If your dentist detects any dental problems during scaling, do not neglect these problems and get the necessary treatments.

After scaling, it is important to continue to check your teeth and gums regularly. Also, maintain your dental health by following your dentist’s recommendations.

What are the Differences Between Teeth Whitening and Scaling?

Since scaling is thought of as a process of whitening your teeth, it always brings with it the question of whether scaling can whiten teeth. Teeth whitening and scaling are two separate procedures that make different contributions to dental health. While teeth whitening aims to improve the aesthetic appearance of the teeth, scaling aims to protect the health of the teeth. Whitening aims to lighten teeth color and remove stains, while scaling removes tartar (calculus) that builds up on tooth surfaces. Both are important for oral health, but they differ in their purpose and method of application.

What are the Harms and Benefits of Tartar Removal?

Scaling benefits offer the chance to keep your teeth healthy and shiny, as well as protect your oral health for the long term. Scaling is the process of removing tartar or calculus that accumulates in the mouth. Tartar can be defined as a hard layer that adheres to the surface of the teeth as a result of the hardening of bacteria and food residues known as plaque with mineral accumulation over time. These formations become a hard coating that cannot be removed by brushing and flossing.

Scaling is important for maintaining oral health because tartar can lead to gingivitis and tooth decay. In addition, tartar can discolor teeth over time and pose an aesthetic problem. The cleaning process is carried out professionally by dentists.

During scaling, special instruments are used to clean the surface of the teeth and gums. This process does not damage the tooth enamel, but effectively removes tartar buildup. After cleaning, oral hygiene becomes easier and helps teeth to return to their natural whiteness.

The question of whether scaling makes teeth thinner is one that dentists often face. Factors that can lead to thinning or damage to teeth include poor oral hygiene, incorrect brushing techniques, clenching (bruxism) or using a stiff toothbrush. However, professional scaling is a procedure that helps maintain dental health and does not thin teeth.

Another common question is whether scaling is harmful. Scaling can damage teeth if it falls into the wrong hands and is repeated frequently. Therefore, it is important to have this procedure done at the intervals recommended by your dentist. In addition, regular oral hygiene and periodic dental check-ups after scaling are also critical to protect your oral health.

How to Determine the Price of Tartar Removal?

The most important factor affecting the price of scaling is the experience and expertise of your dentist. A more experienced dentist may offer this service for a higher fee. Also, the quality of the equipment used for cleaning and the standard of the clinics’ facilities can affect the price. Finally, extras such as anesthesia or additional services used during the procedure can also increase the cost. Therefore, the price policy for scaling is determined by taking these factors into account and after a private assessment with your clinic. Therefore, it is best to contact your clinic to get a quote for scaling. Remember that regular scaling can help you prevent more serious dental problems in the long run and minimize costs while maintaining your oral health.