No, scaling does not whiten teeth. Every person has a different shade of teeth. Scaling removes plaque (a bacterial colony on food debris), calculus and stains on the outer surface of the tooth (from cigarettes, gutkha, drinking).
Why is dental scaling important?
Loss of teeth in calculus
Misconceptions about scaling
Calculus separates the gum from the tooth and exposes the sensitive part of the tooth, the dentin. As a result, the teeth tingle in food such as sweet and sour. Bacteria in calculus cause inflammation of the gums (gingivitis). As a result, the gums become red and bleed when brushing or biting something hard. If the inflammation of the gums is high, sometimes even blood may come from the mouth. Bad breath in the mouth is called bad breath.
Calculus also slowly erodes the bone below the gums . At some point the teeth start moving and at some point scaling is not good. The teeth have to be thrown away. The process of clearing this calculus is called scaling. This is usually done in an ultrasonic machine.
Scaling once or twice a year: This is a misconception. Scaling should only be done on the advice of a doctor. A person who maintains very good oral hygiene usually needs scaling after many years. And those who are indifferent to oral hygiene will need more scaling. Simply put, the doctor asks for scaling only if he feels it is necessary. No need for scaling at regular intervals.
Scaling causes teeth to become hollow: This is also a misconception. In fact, when the calculus is removed, it takes several days for the gums that are separated from the teeth due to the calculus to return to their normal position. At that time, those areas feel hollow on the tongue and the teeth tingle with cold water. After a few days, when the gums return to their normal position, the feeling of emptying the tooth will go away.
Scaling causes tooth damage: The basic mechanism of the scaler machine is ultrasonic vibration and there are some specific rules for scaling. Scaling without following these rules can damage the teeth.
Scaling is painful: This is another misconception. The vibration of the scalar is felt during scaling. But yes, if the amount of calculus is too high, the scaling time can be very slow. So scaling should be done on time. A checkup with the dentist should be done whenever problems arise or at least once a year.
