Does frequent scaling damage my teeth?

Dentists always recommend regular teeth cleaning and you may have been aware of its importance. A common question in a lot of people’s minds is: will scaling damage my teeth?

While over-frequent scaling may not be good, doing it regularly could free you from gum disease. Let’s have a look at how the scaler (instrument for scaling) works before I show you why the statement “scaling is bad for teeth” is a myth.

How does a scaler work?

Scaling removes tartar using a hand instrument or ultrasonic scaler.

Hand scaler has its specific design that adapts to the tooth and removes tartar above the gum line by pulling motion.

Ultrasonic scaler works by vibration. The oscillation generator generates vibrational energy and conduct to the scaler tip. Micro-vibration crushes and removes calculus under cooling water [1].

Ultrasonic scaler also creates shock waves that can mechanically flush the plaque and calculus from the teeth by a jet of water emitted near the scaler tip [2].

Therefore, because of the ease of use and the faster speed, ultrasonic scalers have become the preferred choice over hand instruments.

What to expect during the procedure?

Before the procedure, dentists may check around the gum by gentle probing (pressing the gum gently with hand instrument). If your gum is bleeding, it could mean an ongoing gum inflammation.

Secondly, vibration from ultrasonic scaler may cause sensitivity. The greater the vibration, the more likely it is for the patient to experience discomfort [3].

On top of that, noise from the ultrasonic scaler might have added people’s fear that some invasive procedure is happening.

Finally, after the tartar is removed, dentist will polish the teeth.

Does scaling damage teeth?

As published in A Consumer’s Guide to Dentistry (Second Edition), scaling has no disadvantages and no risks for the normal, healthy individuals [4]. Many dentists or hygienists provide scaling and polishing for most patients at regular intervals even if the patients are considered to be at low risk of developing gum disease (9).

Studies have been conducted on the effect of scaling on enamel (the outermost layer of teeth). One study concluded that it does not cause injudicious removal of tooth structure and at the same time produces a relatively smooth surface [5].

Enamel is the hardest tissue in our body!

According to Mohs Hardness Scale, tooth enamel (apatite) ranks a level 5. That means it’s harder than gold, silver, iron, or steel.

Photo by Rodolfo Clix from Pexels

On the other hand there are studies which pointed out surface roughness after scaling [6]. Therefore, dentists always polish after the procedure to create a smooth surface so that the dental plaque is less likely to deposit. If there is no plaque, there will be no tartar. Even though tooth polishing is performed routinely after scaling, it should not be done more than necessary. Read this article about tooth polishing if you are curious to know more.

No study has been done to conclude if this roughness is significant for causing tooth decay. If you are still worried that scaling can roughen your teeth, then think about a thing that you use everyday on your teeth: toothpaste. A study concluded that using toothpaste containing charcoal increases surface roughness [7]. Therefore, avoiding teeth scaling just because of the concern of tooth surface roughness is making little sense. Having said that, in some circumstances, scaling could cause damage to defective enamel surfaces [8], for example enamel hypoplasia.

So, knowing that scaling could damage the weak enamel (but insignificant effect on normal enamel), should we continue to do scaling? The current recommendation is that regular scaling could provide more benefits than harm. The risk of losing teeth due to gum disease is much more serious than the risk of insignificant enamel damage.

What to expect after the appointment?

It is normal to experience sensitivity after the appointment for up to several days and some people may experience longer discomfort if they have deeper gum cleaning. While waiting for the gum to heal, you may avoid cold and hot food for the time being to reduce the discomfort.

It is not surprising to see people feeling more gaps between their teeth after the treatment. Some people may link this to the myth that scaling is bad for the teeth. However, as previously discussed, scaler tip only vibrates off the tartar thus exposing the gaps that were originally present between the teeth (which later being blocked by tartar). These gaps are present near the gum line and look triangular, and they are called the “black triangles” (click here to know more about Black Triangles and how to treat them).

How often should I go for scaling

You should now understand that regular removal of tartar may reduce gingivitis (a mild form of gum disease) and prevent its progression to periodontitis (severe gum disease) [9]. It is recommended to do routine scaling 3-12 monthly depending on your individual gum risk. You may consult your dentist on your gum disease risk.

The table below shows the basic guide that is used by the general dentist to rate your disease risk and provide recommended treatment accordingly.

Conclusion

Scaling is important to keep our gum healthy, but we do not need scaling more than what is necessary. Carefully performed scaling by trained professionals does not damage your teeth. It is the untreated gum disease that is harmful to your teeth.

However, we should not rely on dentists solely for removing tartar, we have to perform effective oral hygiene care like brushing and flossing to keep our gums clean. Discuss with your dentist to know more about your gum condition.

References