Teeth Cleaning – Scale & Polish

Yes. Even with excellent home care, plaque hardens into tartar (calculus) that you cannot remove with a toothbrush. Tartar buildup leads to gum disease and bad breath. A professional scale and polish removes this hardened deposit, leaving your teeth cleaner than any home routine can achieve.

A scale removes tartar above and below the gum line using ultrasonic instruments and hand scalers. A polish gently smooths tooth surfaces to remove stains and make it harder for plaque to stick. A hygienist visit often includes scale, polish, oral hygiene instruction, diet advice, and gum health monitoring. Many of our private patients book directly with our hygienist for this service.

Our standard scale and polish fee for private patients can be found on our fees and plans page. If you require a more extensive deep clean due to gum disease, that is priced separately and will be discussed following a dental exam. We have no hidden charges.

Many private patients worry about sensitivity. We use warm water ultrasonic scalers and can apply a desensitising paste after the polish. You can also request topical anaesthetic gel. If you have existing sensitivity, please tell us beforehand so we can adjust the technique and pressure.

Yes, with one clinical safety check. Under our direct access policy, you can book directly with our hygienist for a scale and polish. However, if our hygienist identifies signs of decay, gum disease, or oral pathology, they will pause the cleaning and refer you for a dentist-led exam first. For new patients, we recommend a dental exam before your first clean.

That depends on your gum health and lifestyle, such as smoking, coffee drinking, or medical conditions. For most private patients in Liverpool, we recommend every 6 to 12 months. Some patients with past gum disease or heavy staining benefit from every 3 to 4 months. We will give you a personalised recall interval after your first visit.

It will remove surface stains from tea, coffee, red wine, and tobacco, making teeth look brighter and cleaner. However, it is not a whitening treatment. If you want a shade change beyond stain removal, ask us about our private teeth whitening options, either home or in-surgery kits.

We specifically train our team to work with nervous patients. We use slow, gentle techniques, take breaks when you signal, and explain every step before we do it. You can also bring headphones or a companion. Many of our anxious Liverpool patients tell us after their first clean that it was far less uncomfortable than they expected.

Abbey by Duthie Dental is a private practice. We do not provide NHS dental services. If you are an NHS patient elsewhere but want a higher standard of hygiene care, you are welcome to book a private scale and polish with us without deregistering from your NHS dentist, though we always recommend checking with them first.

You can book online via the ‘Book Now’ button, call us at 0151 707 4950 or email us at patientliaison@duthie.dental. Appointment availability is typically within [e.g., 1 to 2 weeks]. New patients booking a clean-only appointment will complete a short health questionnaire before their visit.

Yes. When tartar builds up below the gum line, it causes periodontal disease, which is bone loss around teeth and a chronic inflammatory condition linked to heart disease and diabetes. In these cases, a standard scale and polish is insufficient, and your dentist will recommend a deeper cleaning called root surface debridement, which is non-surgical gum treatment.