Scale and clean.

Plaque, tartar and why your brush can’t shift it

Plaque is the soft, sticky layer of bacteria that forms on teeth every day. Brushing and cleaning between your teeth remove most of it, but any that’s missed can harden within days as minerals from saliva settle into it. Once hardened, it’s called tartar or calculus.

Tartar is rough and porous, so fresh plaque clings to it more easily, and it sits right against the gums where it keeps them irritated. It tends to build up fastest behind the lower front teeth and on the cheek side of the upper back teeth, close to where the salivary glands empty. Brushing harder won’t remove it, and scrubbing can wear the gums.

Tartar and the plaque around it are also a common reason for stale breath that brushing alone doesn’t fix, along with a coated tongue.

Scaling and polishing do different jobs

Scaling removes the hard deposits. Your dentist may use a vibrating (ultrasonic) instrument with a fine water spray to break up larger pieces, fine hand instruments to clear what’s left, or both. The work covers the visible tooth surfaces and the area just under the edge of the gum.

Polishing comes afterwards. A gritty paste on a soft rotating cup smooths the surfaces and lifts stain, which leaves less for new plaque to grip. Your dentist may then floss between your teeth to clear any paste and check for rough spots.

Where a routine clean ends and gum treatment begins

A routine scale and clean is designed for healthy gums or mild inflammation, where tartar sits mostly above or just under the gum line. If your exam shows deeper pockets between the gums and teeth, a standard clean can’t reach the deposits at the bottom of them.

In that case your dentist may recommend deeper cleaning of the root surfaces, usually with local anaesthetic and over more than one visit. That’s a different treatment, explained on our gum disease care page.

What polishing can and can’t do for stain

Surface stain comes from things that touch the teeth often: coffee, tea, red wine, curry spices, smoking and some antiseptic mouthwashes. Much of it sits on the outer surface and on tartar, so scaling and polishing can remove a good deal of it and teeth often look brighter afterwards.

A clean won’t change the natural shade of your teeth, though, or remove discolouration that lies within the tooth. If you’d like teeth lighter than their natural colour, whitening is a separate option to discuss, ideally after a clean so the result is more even.

Stain from smoking or several coffees a day often creeps back within a few months. Rinsing with water after coffee, tea or red wine can slow it down.

Fluoride after your clean

Once your teeth are clean and dry, your dentist may paint on a fluoride varnish or apply a fluoride gel. Fluoride helps enamel resist acid and can help early weak spots harden again. It’s most often suggested for people with recent decay, exposed roots, a dry mouth, sensitive teeth or braces.

Varnish can feel slightly sticky or look yellowish for a few hours. Your dentist will tell you how long to wait before eating, drinking hot drinks or brushing. For adults at higher risk of decay, a higher-strength fluoride toothpaste for home use may also be suggested.

Sensitivity during and after a clean

Most people find a clean comfortable, but it can feel sharp in some spots. Exposed root surfaces, gums that are already inflamed and heavy tartar are the usual reasons. If you tell us, your dentist can slow down, use a numbing gel, change instruments or, now and then, numb an area with local anaesthetic.

Teeth can feel more sensitive to cold for a few days afterwards, especially where a thick layer of tartar has been removed and the surface underneath is exposed for the first time in a while. A toothpaste made for sensitive teeth usually helps, and this tends to settle within a week or two. If it doesn’t, let us know.

Home‑care coaching for your mouth

Your dentist will point out where plaque and tartar keep coming back, which tells you which spots your brush is missing. The advice is meant to be practical, not a lecture. It may include:

• Angling the brush towards the gum line and using small, gentle movements
• Choosing an interdental brush size that fits each gap, or floss where gaps are tight
• Cleaning carefully around crowns, bridges, implants and braces
• Whether an electric toothbrush might make things easier for you
• Spitting out after brushing rather than rinsing, so fluoride stays on the teeth
• Brushing or gently scraping your tongue if breath is a concern

How often to book a clean

Every six months suits many people. Some build up tartar quickly or have a higher risk of gum problems, such as people who smoke, have diabetes, wear braces or have implants, and may benefit from a clean every three or four months. Your dentist will suggest what seems right after seeing how much has built up since last time.

If it has been several years since your last clean, there may be more tartar than one appointment can comfortably remove. Your dentist may split the work over two visits, which is often easier on tender gums and sensitive teeth.

Cleans are usually claimed under general dental on extras cover, often as a separate item from the exam and from any fluoride.