Dental plaque is a pale yellow biofilm, that develops naturally on the teeth. Like any biofilm, dental plaque is formed by colonizing bacteria trying to attach themselves to the tooth’s smooth surface. Dental plaque starts to harden within 48 hours, and in about 10 days the plaque becomes dental calculus (tartar), hard and difficult to remove. Dental plaque can give rise to dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal problems such as gingivitis and chronic periodontitis.
It is recommended to see your dentist or oral hygienist every 6 months for a check-up and teeth cleaning. Of course, individual oral hygiene also matters.
At our London clinic, professinal hygiene is carried out with an ultrasonic plaque remover.
During ultrasonic dental cleaning, the hygienist uses a Swiss-made instrument called an ultrasonic scaler. The scaler distributes untrasonic vibrations to literally blast dental tartar off of the teeth.
Most dental cleanings take between 30 minutes and an hour. Cleanings are painless, and performed in a comfortable, lying position in a dental chair.
