10/18/2024
A bright and clean smile is often perceived as an indication of good health, too. To maintain that smile is more than brushing and flossing regularly. Dental polishing is one of the most basic oral care techniques not only to improve the aesthetic appearance of your teeth but also to prevent several oral health issues from developing. It is more than a routine clean as it refines the surface of your teeth to get rid of minor stains and add an extra layer of protection.
We will look deeper into what dental polishing is, its many benefits, the process, and how you can maintain the health of your teeth between dental appointments.
What is Dental Polishing?
Dental polishing smoothes and polishes the surface of your teeth, removing stains and giving your teeth a cleaner, brighter appearance. This is done using a special abrasive paste with a rotary tool to gently scrub the outer surfaces of the teeth.
While daily teeth cleaning focuses on the removal of tartar and plaque formation that can occur below the gum line, dental polishing primarily serves the aesthetic function of removing stains caused by the usage of common substances such as coffee, tea, smoking, and other food items. This results in a smoother, shinier surface, giving you a healthier and brighter smile.
Benefits of Dental Polishing
Some benefits of dental polishing are listed below:
1. Better Look:
One of the key benefits of dental polishing is that it instantly brightens your teeth. Common daily consumptions of coffee, tea, red wine, or smoking eventually cause noticeable stains. A polish removes such surface stains but leaves your teeth looking white and bright.
2. Smoother Tooth Surfaces:
Dental polishing not only makes your teeth look clean but also leaves their surfaces smooth and glossy. Smooth tooth surfaces attract less plaque, bacteria, and food particles, reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. This process creates a future-resisting surface.
3. Improved Resistance to Cavity and Gum Disease:
Regular dental polishing, along with proper cleaning, helps remove harmful bacteria and plaque, reducing the risk of cavities and gum disease. When you polish the surface of your teeth, you give the bacteria less of a chance to bind to that surface, preventing certain dental problems from arising in the first place.
4. Fresh Breath:
Bad breath is usually due to bacteria accumulations within the mouth. This can be removed through dental polishing, contributing to a fresher and cleaner mouth. This improves overall oral hygiene and gives you the confidence of fresher breath.
The Dental Polishing Process
Dental polishing is typically part of routine dental cleanings, and the process is quick and painless. This is what usually goes on during a dental polishing session.
- Cleaning: Before the dentist or dental hygienist polishes, they ensure to clean comprehensively to ensure that all the debris accumulated as tartar and plaque is availed of from the teeth surface. This is to avoid accumulation of debris being ground to the teeth when polished.
- Application of Polishing Paste After cleaning, there is an application of a special polishing paste made up of mild abrasives. The pastes are designed to remove surface stains for your teeth to acquire a smooth, glossy look.
- Rotary Polishing Device: A small, handheld tool with a soft rubber cup rotates gently, buffing the teeth to remove surface stains.
- The movement itself would create peeling action on the outer enamel layers, removing surface stains and imperfections embedded in the hard outer enamel.
- Final Rinse: After your oral polishing session, your dentist will rinse off everything remaining in the form of paste with its residue, leaving you to smile with fresh, smooth, and revitalized teeth.
Cost of Dental Polishing
The cost of dental polishing depends on factors like your location and the dentist's fees. Although this is an affordable procedure, and one can easily make a dental cleaning appointment especially when combined with routine dental cleanings, it is always wise to consult with your dentist as well as insurance provider so you would know beforehand what you will be expected to pay.
In India, this type of procedure may cost between Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 for a session, depending on the dentist's fees, the location of the clinic, and the complexity of the polishing required. At times, the polishing can be included as a portion of a routine cleaning and hence affect the final cost. If you would like to have your teeth polished, it is always best to consult your dentist to come up with an accurate estimate for you depending on your specific needs.
Maintaining Teeth Health Between Polishing Sessions
While dental polishing offers many benefits, maintaining good oral hygiene between visits is key to keeping your teeth healthy. Here are some steps to keep your smile in top shape:
- Brush At Least Twice a Day: Use fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean all surfaces of your teeth at least twice a day.
- Floss Daily: Remove food particles and plaque trapped between teeth and along the gumline where a toothbrush cannot reach.
- Use Mouthwash: Antibacterial mouthwash further helps reduce the accumulation of plaque and bacteria on teeth and protects them from decay and gum disease.
- Regular Dental Check-up: Regular follow-ups with your dentist keep you under check for the early detection of any dental issues like tooth decay or gum disease, which in turn ensures prompt treatment.
Also, read: Natural and Home Remedies for Tooth Pain
Conclusion
Dental polishing is much more than an aesthetic procedure: it's a significant part of your overall oral care. It makes your teeth seem clean by removing stains, but it also prevents cavities and gum disease by smoothing out the surfaces of your teeth. It's a painless and time-efficient procedure that will have long-term results if done right along with good oral home care.
Keeping up with regular brushing and flossing, visiting the dental clinic, and adding dental polishing will surely give you the brightest, healthiest smile for as long as possible. It is very important to note that while good as dental polishing is, it should only supplement and not replace day-to-day oral hygiene practices.
Polishing is an excellent adjunct to routine oral care if you want to have radiant white teeth and at the same time, ensure that there will be no oral health issues. Just discuss this with your dentist to determine how many times it should be applied to you and if polishing would suit best according to your needs.