Should teeth be scaled every 6 months?

Clean and healthy teeth are, of course, everyone's dream, because they can avoid various kinds of oral diseases and will make us more confident. So that the teeth are always clean and healthy, apart from routine toothbrushes, there are currently so many choices of dental care at the dentist that are available and should be done regularly, one of which is tooth scaling.

Tooth scaling is a procedure to clean tartar that sticks to the teeth. Tartar itself is formed from a pile of plaque that sticks and then hardens on the tooth surface. Dental plaque is usually yellowish-white to brownish in color, formed from a mixture of food scraps and bacteria in the mouth. Tartar that is allowed to stick to it, besides making the teeth look dull and unkempt, can also cause various problems in the teeth and mouth, including bad breath, inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), inflammation of the supporting tissues of the teeth (periodontitis), and can even cause the teeth to fall off by themselves.

In addition to various problems with the teeth and mouth, as quoted from the Mayo Clinic, the bacteria that cause gum disease can also spread throughout the body through the bloodstream and attach to heart valves, causing heart disease. In the tartar cleaning procedure with scaling, the dentist will use two types of tools, namely a manual scraper and a scraper called an ultrasonic scaler. Ultrasonic scalers work by generating ultrasonic vibrations that can erode, remove, and destroy tartar that sticks between the teeth, gum line, and the deepest parts that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush or dental floss (dental floss).

Dental scaling procedures are performed on an outpatient basis at the dentist. In practice, if it is not too severe, the dentist will only need about 30 minutes to clean it; otherwise, if the tartar is difficult to remove, it will take longer. If it is deemed necessary before starting, the dentist will give anti-pain medication to prevent any pain that may arise during the process. scaling according to patient needs.

So when should scaling be recommended? Teeth scaling is recommended to be done at least once every 6 months. However, for people with gingivitis, the scaling procedure can be carried out as soon as possible, according to the recommendations of the dentist. In simple terms, dental and oral hygiene are, of course, very important to note. One of the efforts that can be made to maintain dental hygiene is scaling. Therefore, routinely check with the dentist and do scaling at least every 6 months, because having healthy teeth can prevent various health problems.