Teeth Whitening versus Scale & Polish


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What is scale and polish?

The procedure de-scales and polishes your teeth, and is often conducted as part of your regular trip to the dentists. This is a standard part of dental hygiene and care. The usual technique uses a tiny and concentrated blast of air, sometimes with an abrasive element and the aim is to strip away the built of dental plaque and tartar on your teeth. This common technique is effectively deep-cleaning your teeth.

Will it improve the whiteness of my teeth?

This procedure may have a beneficial effect on the colour of your teeth by buffing away topical staining and removing the build up of plaque.


How does scale and polish compare to tooth whitening?

Tooth whitening has the sole aim of improving the appearance of your teeth, and this more targeted approach allows you and the dentist to focus purely on the improvement of the colour of your teeth, with some treatments promising a change of up to eight shades of colour whiter than the current appearance of your teeth. Whitening treatments can also treat some deep stains and even some genetically inherited stains, as the process actually mildly bleached the enamel of the tooth and takes your teeth to a whiter shade. Scale and polish can be used in conjunction with tooth whitening to prolong the effect and retain the white appearance of your teeth after treatment.

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