Teeth Cleaning in North York

About the service

A professional teeth cleaning is also called a scale and polish. Scaling means scraping plaque and tartar off the surfaces of your teeth. Teeth with stains may also need polishing, and fluoride may be applied to strengthen them.

Ur Dental provides teeth cleanings at 6239 Bathurst Street in North York. The clinical information below comes mainly from the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) and the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO), which licenses and regulates dentists in Ontario.

Ur Dental accepts the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). We bill CDCP directly where the plan covers the service; you pay any co-payment.

Why is a professional cleaning recommended?

Plaque is a sticky layer of bacteria that builds up on your teeth. Left in place, it may eventually harden into tartar, also called calculus.

However carefully you brush and floss, some spots are hard to clean. Plaque left there can turn into tartar, which brushing and flossing alone cannot remove.

When plaque collects around the teeth and below the gum line, it can lead to gum disease. Your dentist may recommend a cleaning to lower that risk, or to keep gum disease from becoming more serious. The ODA says cleaning, and polishing where there are stains, can prevent dental problems.

What happens during a teeth cleaning?

Scaling is done with hand instruments or with an ultrasonic instrument that vibrates.

When a dental hygienist does the cleaning, the ODA says they review your chart, medical history and current health for anything that could affect the treatment. They scale your teeth to remove plaque and hardened build-up. They polish away stains if needed, and may apply fluoride. They measure the space between your gums and teeth to help judge gum health. They also teach you oral hygiene routines.

Assessment and X-rays

A dentist must complete an assessment or a diagnosis before giving dental care. X-rays may be taken to check the bone that supports your teeth.

You can agree to X-rays or decline them. If you decline, the RCDSO says your dentist should explain why they were recommended and what not taking them could mean. If your dentist believes the care would be compromised without them, they may decline to provide it.

Is freezing used, and what if you feel nervous?

Anaesthetic (freezing) can be used when it is needed to carry out the scaling. The ODA Suggested Fee Guide's count of scaling time can include time spent giving it, where necessary.

Tell your dentist if you have a low tolerance for pain or feel nervous. Talking to your dentist is the first step in dealing with dental anxiety, and it may help you feel more relaxed.

During treatment, you can raise your hand to ask for a break.

What should you tell the dentist before a cleaning?

Tell your dental team about your health and the medications you take. Some conditions and medications can affect blood clotting or the immune system, and some patients need preventive antibiotics before certain dental procedures.

Your dentist needs this information before starting treatment, and it is kept private.

How often should you have your teeth cleaned?

How often you need to come in depends on your oral health needs, general health and lifestyle, such as smoking. The ODA advises a dental visit at least once a year, and your dentist may recommend more frequent visits.

The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) also ties the frequency of exams to your oral health needs, and says that for many people this works out to an exam every six months. Your dentist may suggest visits more or less often, depending on your care at home, any problems that need attention and how quickly tartar builds up.

These intervals are for dental visits and exams. Ask your dentist how often you need a cleaning.

During pregnancy, the risk of gingivitis can rise from the second to the eighth month. To help lower that chance, your dentist may suggest more frequent professional cleanings in the second or early third trimester. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends a first-trimester checkup that includes a cleaning and an oral health check.

How can you look after your teeth between cleanings?

Brush at least twice a day, which helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease, and floss every day. A toothbrush reaches only two-thirds of each tooth's surface, so floss is needed to clear food and plaque from the spaces between teeth.

What if you notice signs of gum disease?

Gum disease often goes unnoticed, because it does not cause pain until its final stages. A general dentist can detect it during a dental examination.

Its early stage, gingivitis, is reversible. Left untreated, it can progress to periodontitis, which cannot be reversed. At that stage pockets form between the teeth and gums, and it leads to tooth loss. In a 2016 article for dentists, the RCDSO described gum disease as the most common cause of tooth loss in adults.

The ODA's warning signs include bleeding when you brush; gums that are red, swollen or tender, or that have pulled back from the teeth; a metallic taste; bad breath that will not go away; pus between teeth and gums; and loose teeth. Its advice is to see your dentist right away if you notice any of them.

When should you call the clinic?

Call the clinic during opening hours if you notice warning signs of gum disease or have questions after a cleaning.

Who cleans teeth, and when are you referred to a specialist?

Teeth can be cleaned by a dentist or a dental hygienist. In Ontario, dental hygienists are regulated health professionals, authorized to scale teeth and do root planing, which includes removing plaque, tartar and stains above and below the gum line. In a dental office, they work under the dentist's direction.

A hygienist can assess your mouth, teeth and gums, but only a dentist can diagnose dental disease.

A general dentist can treat gum disease in most people. If it has progressed further, you may need a referral to a periodontist, who specializes in periodontics, and in some cases surgical treatment. Severe gum disease, and patients with complex medical histories, are often treated by periodontists.

After treatment for gum disease, the RCDSO advises dentists to keep monitoring the gums regularly.

Is there an alternative to a professional cleaning?

Not for tartar: the CDA says it can only be removed professionally.

If your dentist recommends treatment for gum disease, the RCDSO notes that once the diagnosis, the treatment plan and the consequences of not having it have been explained, the choice to go ahead is yours.

How are fees for a cleaning set?

Fees vary from one dentist to another. Factors include how complex the treatment is, how long it takes, the materials and equipment used, sterilization and staffing.

Each year the ODA publishes a Suggested Fee Guide. Dentists and dental plans may refer to it, but dentists set their own fees, which can be above or below it. Words like "cleaning" do not appear in the Guide, which uses technical terms, so ask your dentist what your treatment will cost.

The Guide lists scaling by units of treatment time, measured in the minutes actually spent. Appointment time is not the same as treatment time.

In a 2015 article for dentists, the RCDSO described the cost discussion as part of consent, and said it is prudent for a dentist to tell you if fees will be above the ODA Guide.

After an exam, your dentist gives you a cost estimate before going ahead; it is an estimate because costs may change once treatment is under way.

Dental benefits

Nearly every dental plan limits how many examinations or assessments it covers. Ask your benefits provider what your plan pays for.