Scale and Polish
The routine clean that keeps gums healthy — and the one appointment worth never missing.
Fresh Smile
Teeth noticeably cleaner and smoother
Gum Health
Keeps inflammation off the gums
Scale & Airflow
Standard clean, or add Airflow
Quick & Easy
Twenty minutes, and painless
Book a scale and polish
£70 for twenty minutes, or included if you are on the Dental Care Plan.
The appointment that quietly does the most
A clean mouth is about a good deal more than appearances. One of the most useful things we do at Orford Hill is the scale and polish, which lifts the hardened build-up that daily brushing simply cannot shift. Add Airflow to the appointment and we can take off staining from tea, coffee and wine at the same time.
What it actually is
A professional clean by a hygienist or dentist, in two distinct stages:
Scaling
Removing plaque — the soft bacterial film — and tartar, which is plaque that has hardened onto the tooth and can no longer be brushed off. Ultrasonic and hand instruments both get used, particularly around the gumline and between teeth.
Polishing
Then the surfaces are polished smooth with a rotating cup and paste. This lifts lighter staining and, more usefully, leaves less for plaque to cling to afterwards.
Why it matters
Tartar forms in places no brush reaches, and once it is hard it stays until somebody removes it. Left there it causes:
- Gum disease, first gingivitis and then periodontitis
- Decay along the gumline
- Persistent bad breath
- Staining that will not brush off
None of that is inevitable. It is simply what happens when the deposits are not cleared regularly.
How often
- Most patients do well with a hygiene visit every six months.
- Plenty prefer every three to four months for upkeep and stain removal, and you are welcome to book as often as you like.
Smokers, people with diabetes and anyone with a history of gum disease usually benefit from coming in more often.
What happens
- A look at the gums first, noting anything inflamed or bleeding.
- Scaling — ultrasonic for the bulk of it, then hand instruments for the detail.
- Polishing — smoothing the surfaces and lifting light stain.
- Advice — specific to where your own cleaning is falling short.
It should not hurt. If there is a lot of tartar or the gums are inflamed you may feel some sensitivity, which settles within a day or two.
What you get out of it
- Gums that stop bleeding, and stay that way
- Teeth that feel smooth rather than furred
- Breath you do not have to think about
- Far less restorative work needed further down the line