Scaling: why it matters, and what happens if you skip it

Even careful brushing leaves something behind. Plaque, the soft, sticky layer that forms on teeth every day, hardens into tartar when it is not fully removed. Once it has hardened, a toothbrush cannot shift it. Scaling is how a dentist removes it.

Why tartar matters

Tartar collects along the gum line and just beneath it. Its rough surface holds more plaque, and the gum next to it becomes inflamed. The first signs are usually:

• gums that bleed when you brush
• red or swollen gums
• bad breath that comes back soon after brushing

Many people see bleeding and start brushing that area less. That usually makes things worse. Bleeding gums are a reason to have your gums checked, not a reason to brush less.

What happens if you skip it

At first only the gums are inflamed. At this stage, scaling and careful brushing can usually bring them back to health.

Left for years, the inflammation can go deeper and become gum disease. The gum and the bone that hold each tooth slowly shrink away. Teeth can become loose, and in advanced cases they can be lost. Bone lost this way does not grow back by itself.

This damage usually does not hurt while it is happening, which is exactly why it is so easy to ignore.

What scaling is like

The dentist uses small instruments, often an ultrasonic scaler that vibrates and sprays water, to lift tartar off the teeth and from just under the gum line. You may feel vibration, scraping and some sensitivity, especially where there is a lot of tartar or the gums are already inflamed. If an area feels sensitive, say so: the dentist can slow down or pause.

Afterwards your gums may feel tender and bleed a little for a day or two, and your teeth may feel sensitive to cold for a short while. It usually takes one visit.

Two common worries

“Scaling weakens teeth.” It does not. Scaling removes deposits sitting on the tooth. It does not remove the tooth itself.

“Scaling makes gaps between the teeth.” Scaling does not create gaps. Sometimes tartar has been filling a space, and once it is gone the space becomes visible. The space was there before; the tartar was hiding it.

Make it part of every check-up

Tartar comes back for everyone, faster for some people than for others. That is why scaling is not a one-time treatment. The simplest routine is to have your teeth scaled at your regular check-up, as often as your dentist advises for you. If your gums are bleeding, do not wait for the next check-up.

Scaling is available at both our clinics, in Sayan and on Chhaprabhatha-Variyav Road. Use the booking button below to ask for an appointment.