Dental Cleanings

The teeth are continually bathed in saliva which contains calcium and many other substances that eventually build up into calcium deposits on the teeth. Over time, this chalky substance will build up like lime scale in a kettle or pipe and bacteria will thrive in these deposits. Sometimes these deposits are tooth coloured and can be mistaken as being part of the teeth, but it can also vary from brown to black in colour. Dental cleanings involve the removing of these deposits and the removal of plaque, which is a sticky protein/bacteria complex that builds up on the teeth over time. 

A professional cleaning will involve a full mouth ultrasonic therapy, tooth scaling, tooth polishing, and sometimes a fluoride treatment. Tooth scaling and root planing is the process of removing the dental plaque and calculus that has built up on the teeth. If the calculus is allowed to accumulate on the teeth, it will provide the right conditions for bacteria to hide and grow next to the gums. The goal of the cleaning is leave the tooth surface clean and smooth so that the bacteria and calculus have a harder time sticking to the tooth's surface. Clean and smooth teeth are far easier to care for during regular home care as well.