Airflow Polishing
A gentler way to shift staining and plaque, and one that leaves teeth feeling properly smooth rather than merely polished.
Stain Removal
Tea, coffee, red wine, tobacco.
Gentle
No scraping, no harsh vibration.
Quick Results
Visible difference in one visit.
Safe
Fine around braces and implants.
A proper clean, without the scraping.
Airflow uses a controlled jet of warm water, air and a very fine powder to lift staining, plaque and early tartar off the tooth. Because nothing actually touches the enamel, it is quicker and far more comfortable than being polished with a rubber cup and paste.
We offer it as part of hygiene care at Orford Hill, either on its own or added to a routine appointment. The difference is usually obvious the moment you look in a mirror.
So what is Airflow?
It is a cleaning system made by EMS that combines air, warm water and an extremely fine erythritol or glycine powder.
Traditional polishing works by pressing an abrasive paste against the tooth with a spinning cup. Airflow does not touch the tooth at all — the jet does the work, which means no scraping, no vibration and no pressure. It also gets into the places conventional instruments find awkward: around brackets, along the gumline and between teeth that sit tightly together.
It is safe on natural teeth, implants, veneers, crowns, bridges and braces, lifting biofilm and surface stain without touching the enamel or the restoration underneath.
What happens on the day
The whole thing takes twenty to thirty minutes.
- A look first — the hygienist checks your teeth and gums, confirms Airflow is right for you and notes where the staining has settled.
- The clean — the handpiece plays a fine jet of air, water and powder across the teeth, lifting stain and biofilm without ever scratching the surface.
- Rinsing — leftover powder is washed away and everything is checked over.
- Afterwards — your hygienist runs through what they found and how to keep the result for as long as possible.
Why patients prefer it
Compared with a conventional scale and polish, Airflow:
- Shifts tea, coffee, red wine and tobacco staining properly
- Avoids the scraping and vibration people dislike most
- Gets around braces, implants and into tight contacts
- Is over in twenty to thirty minutes
- Never touches the enamel, so nothing is worn away
- Suits sensitive teeth and tender gums
- Leaves teeth feeling genuinely smooth afterwards
- Keeps veneers, crowns and other work looking as they should
More than a few patients have told us it is the first hygiene appointment they have not dreaded.
Who it suits
Most people, in truth. It comes into its own for:
Orthodontic Patients
Brackets, wires and aligners collect plaque in exactly the spots a brush and a scaler struggle with. The jet gets in around them without catching.
Implant Patients
Implants need cleaning without anything hard being dragged across the surface. A non-contact jet is close to ideal for the job.
Staining from Food & Drink
If tea, coffee or red wine feature heavily in your week, this is the treatment that takes the resulting film back off again.
Sensitive Patients
If you have found scaling and polishing genuinely unpleasant before, this is a considerably easier half hour.
Booking it
Airflow is charged at £105 for a thirty-minute appointment, or £35 if you are on the Dental Care Plan. Book it by itself or add it to a hygiene visit.
There is nothing to recover from — eat, drink and carry on with the day as normal. The result is immediate, and most people notice how smooth the teeth feel as much as how they look.
It holds best alongside regular hygiene visits and a decent routine at home.