Teeth Scaling & Cleaning in Rawalpindi

Ultrasonic scaling and polishing at Dental Studio by Dr Fatima in Satellite Town, opposite Gate 3 of Holy Family Hospital.

Ultrasonic teeth scaling and polishing being carried out at Dental Studio by Dr Fatima, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi

Preventive dentistry

What scaling is, and when you need it

Plaque is the soft film that forms on teeth within hours of brushing. Whatever the brush misses hardens into tartar, or calculus — a rough mineralised deposit that grips the tooth, especially behind the lower front teeth and around the back molars. A toothbrush cannot shift it. Scaling can: an ultrasonic tip vibrates the deposit off, and a polish smooths what is left.

You probably need it if your gums bleed when you brush, if your breath is not fresh, if you feel roughness along the gum line, or if it has been more than six to twelve months. Tartar is what keeps gum inflammation going, and left alone that inflammation progresses from bleeding gums to bone loss around the roots — and bone does not grow back.

The treatment room at Dental Studio by Dr Fatima in Satellite Town, Rawalpindi, where ultrasonic scaling is carried out

Our process

How we scale and polish at Dental Studio

A clean here is an examination too. We look before we scale, because bleeding gums sometimes point to gum disease that needs more than one appointment.

Examination first

We check every tooth and gum margin, note where the gums bleed and take an X-ray if the pockets suggest bone loss. You are told what we found before anything starts.

Ultrasonic scaling

A fine vibrating tip with a water spray lifts tartar off the enamel and from just under the gum line. It feels like vibration and cold water, and most patients need no anaesthetic.

Hand finishing and polish

Deposits between the teeth are finished by hand, then a rubber cup and polishing paste smooth the surfaces so plaque takes longer to stick again.

What happens next

We show you where your brush is missing — usually the same two or three places — and set a recall interval. Six months suits most people; three to four if the gums are inflamed.

Ultrasonic scaler and dental delivery unit beside the chair at Dental Studio by Dr Fatima, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi

How long it takes, and what to expect afterwards

A routine scale and polish takes about 30 to 45 minutes. A first clean after several years, or one that goes below the gum line, can take an hour or be split across two appointments.

There is no recovery period — you eat and drink normally the same day. Gums that were already inflamed often bleed a little and feel tender for a day or two; that is inflammation settling, not damage. Mild cold sensitivity is common for a few days, because root surfaces buried under tartar are now exposed. It usually settles within a week.

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Why us

Why patients choose us for scaling

Scaling is the treatment most people in Pakistan have been warned off. Here is how we handle that.

We examine before we scale

Bleeding gums are a symptom, not a diagnosis. A clean that ignores the pockets underneath is a clean you will be repeating in three months.

Ultrasonic, not scraping

An ultrasonic tip with water cooling lifts tartar off by vibration rather than force — quicker and gentler than heavy hand instrumentation.

A straight answer on the enamel question

Almost every patient asks whether scaling will loosen their teeth. We answer it properly, with your own X-ray in front of you.

Questions we get asked about scaling

Does scaling damage tooth enamel?

No. This is the commonest dental myth in Pakistan and it is not true. The ultrasonic tip works by vibration, not by cutting — it is not a drill. What it removes is calculus, a mineral deposit stuck on top of the tooth and no part of it. Enamel is the hardest tissue in the body, and it is what is left behind when the deposit comes off.

Then why do my teeth feel loose afterwards?

Because the tartar was holding them. A thick collar of calculus splints teeth together and hides the recession underneath. Take it away and you feel the true position of teeth whose supporting bone had already been lost to gum disease. The scaling revealed the problem; it did not create it.

Will gaps appear between my teeth?

If tartar was filling those gaps, you will now see the space that was already there under the deposit. Gums that have been inflamed also shrink back a little as they heal, which can make the spaces more obvious for a couple of weeks.

Is scaling painful?

For most people, no — it feels like vibration and cold water with some pressure at the gum line. If the gums are badly inflamed, or we clean deep beneath them, the area can be numbed first.

Does scaling whiten teeth?

It removes surface stain from tea, coffee, paan and smoking, so teeth usually look noticeably brighter afterwards. It does not change the natural colour of the enamel underneath — that is what whitening does.

How often should I have it done?

Every six months suits most people. If your gums bleed easily, if you smoke, or if you have been treated for gum disease, three to four months is usually better.