Teeth polishing is a type of dental procedure, which is aimed to leave your tooth enamel smooth and glassy. It is a standard procedure in the majority of dental clinics, like sharon albright dental clinic and it is a routine for a lot of people. Teeth polishing does not involve only cosmetic benefit. This procedure can freshen your breath and assist in avoiding tooth decay if combined with dental scaling.
Even if you brush and floss your teeth on a regular basis and also visit a dentist regularly you might still find that your teeth do look as natural and white as they used to. Professional teeth polishing is an extremely effective way to lighten teeth, achieve a beautiful smile and eliminate stains.
A lot of people normally confuse teeth cleaning and teeth whitening. These are two different types of dental procedure and their goals are quite different. The main goal of teeth whitening is to get rid of tartar and plaque from the surface of the teeth. This procedure is normally conducted for the purpose of preventing tooth decay and gum disease. There are a lot of teeth whitening options available including, in-office bleaching, special toothpaste and at-home products. The majority of toothpastes remove surface stains, in-office bleaching involves special chemical and polishing agents that help in effective stains removal.
Teeth whitening is extremely important for teeth and gums health, whereas teeth polishing is normally done for purely cosmetic purposes. The following section of the article depict the key aspects every person should know about teeth polishing.
What is Teeth Polishing?
As was mentioned above, teeth polishing is a type of dental procedure performed to leave your tooth enamel smooth and glassy. Teeth polishing is the final step of a teeth cleaning process. The whole procedure works in the following way:
Your teeth are checked for decay and weak sports in the enamel
A dentist will scrape tartar and plaque from the surface of your teeth (process called scaling)
The final step is polishing your teeth to remove staining before being topped and flossed with a protective coat
There are two most common ways of teeth polishing. The first approach involves a rubber cup and a slow speed dental drill. The polishing paste is applied to the cup and used to polish and clean the teeth. The second approach involves a blasting type of device loaded with baking soda powder. This is a very effective method for getting into the cracks and crevices in and between teeth. It is also worth mentioning that the baking soda is not going to wear away teeth enamel and is not abrasive.
Are There Any Benefits of Teeth Polishing?
A lot of dentists question the benefits of teeth polishing. A number of studies showed that teeth polishing on a regular basis is not able to prevent a person from a gum disease. In addition to that, the same study reported that people who had their teeth polished on a regular basis, had less plaque on their teeth. Less plaque can protect your teeth enamel, which cannot be restored once it is decayed or eroded. Teeth polishing is also believed to remove bacteria from the surface of your teeth.
A lot of dentists claim that polishing is not only good for cosmetic reasons but is also very healthy. This dental procedure is able to significantly improve the appearance of your teeth and remove undesired plaque and biofilm, which is necessary for the creation of healthy gums.
Some dentists emphasize on the fact that teeth polishing goes beyond making the teeth glassy and smooth. Important element of an effective polishing process is scaling, which takes place before the polishing procedure starts. A sharp metal is used to scrape tartar and plaque. You should keep in mind that scaling and polishing go hand in hand.
How Much Does Teeth Polishing Cost?
Teeth polishing is normally not covered by a regular insurance. The main reason for that is the fact that teeth polishing is done for cosmetic and not medical purposes. However, there are several dental insurance plans that cover teeth polishing as part of the routing dental exam and cleaning. It means that teeth polishing can be free for you as a preventive care service.
However, if you do not have dental insurance, teeth polishing can be extremely expensive. The cost of this dental procedure varies and depends on a number of variables. Some of these determinants are your physical location, the clinic selected and the experience of a dentist. Some reports suggest that teeth polishing cost can be between $150 and $300, without dental insurance.
Is it Possible to Polish Your Teeth at Home?
A lot of people believe that teeth polishing can be done at home. There are numerous DIY methods and OTC (over-the-counter) teeth polishing kits that claim to have the same results as during professional teeth polishing at a dentist visit. Some of these remedies are baking soda or activated charcoal.
Without any doubt, you can do it yourself at home, but it is not recommended by dentists. You should keep in mind that enamel never comes back, therefore, trying to do something at home can cause abrasion of the enamel, teeth sensitivity and in some cases even teeth decay. Experienced dentists say that you should stay away from any home kits for teeth polishing as they provide as much polishing as the majority of commercial toothpastes.
What are the Precautions?
There are not a lot of risks involved when it comes to teeth polishing as it is very straightforward procedure. Although, there are certain people that require a more gentle polishing approach. This dental procedure is considered safe for a lot of people. Dentists use cup polishing approach for people that have sensitive teeth as it is a little less aggressive. Polishing is not recommended for people who have severe erosion or previous wear on their teeth.
As was mentioned above, polishing is not able to prevent tooth decay unless it is a part of cleaning procedure, which includes flossing and scaling at the dentist’s office. In order to keep your teeth glossy, it is highly recommended to practice scaling and polishing every 6 months. Every patient is different and those who accumulate buildup faster tend to have periodontal issues. For such cases, dentists advise making use of polishing every 2 months.
Taking all the aforementioned, it can be said that teeth polishing is a very simple procedure that normally goes along with scaling during your regular cleaning and exam. When teeth polishing is combined with teeth scaling, the result will be white, smooth and bacteria-free teeth. Teeth polishing alone cannot prevent tooth decay.
You should not polish your teeth with OTC tooth polishing or home polishing as they have the same effect as regular commercial toothpastes. Therefore, they do not add that much value. Before utilizing this dental procedure, you should have a thorough consultation with your dentist. During this consultation, your dentist will tell you whether you can qualify for this procedure and what you should expect. You should also voice all the concerns that you might have and state your expectations in advance in order to eliminate undesired effects. When you’re ready to get your teeth polished, you can check out this dentist who does Zoom teeth whitening in Redwood City CA.
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