Even though you brush and floss on the reg, it’s only natural for your teeth to develop a buildup of plaque and tartar. In a perfect world, you’d go to the dentist every six months for a scrape-y cleaning known as dental scaling to remove that buildup. But if you’re like the countless TikTokers who are scaling their own teeth, then you might feel the urge to DIY at home — much to the dismay of dentists everywhere.
Scaling is the process of removing dental tartar and plaque buildup from the teeth, says Dr. Victoria Veytsman, DDS, a cosmetic dentist. “It’s really important for oral hygiene because it helps to remove bacteria from the teeth and overall mouth,” she tells Bustle. “A lot of times, plaque will harden on your teeth because of the mineral deposit and it’s not something that a regular toothbrush can get off.”
That’s when the scaler — aka one of the many pointy metal objects you see during a dental cleaning — is used to scrape the sides and backs of the teeth to remove the deposits, Veytsman explains. “This helps to prevent gingivitis, inflammation of the gums, bad breath, and helps with your overall oral hygiene,” she says.
Typically, a light scaling will happen during that recommended biannual cleaning. “But sometimes patients need more because they are more prone to getting a lot of buildup, whether it’s because of their salivary chemistry or their oral hygiene at home,” Veytsman says. If you haven’t been to the dentist in a while or tend to get extra buildup, that’s when you might hear the siren call of an at-home scaling treatment — a practice that currently has over 14 million views on TikTok. Here’s what dentists have to say about it.
Can You Scale Your Own Teeth?
Watch a professional tooth scaling in a dental office and you’ll see how much skill and technique it requires. Because tartar is hard and yellowy-white it can be tough to tell where the buildup stops and your actual tooth begins, making it super easy to scrape at the wrong thing. Not to mention you’re wielding a sharp metal object — another factor that gives dentists pause.
“A major danger of doing teeth scaling at home is that you can hurt yourself and your gums,” Veytsman says. One slip of the scaler is all it takes to stab your gum. Scalers are also meant to go a little bit under the gum tissue, Veytsman adds, which requires a lot of precision to do correctly and without pain or injury.
Your teeth can also get damaged. “You can knick your enamel or chip any bonding you might have since it’s such a sharp instrument,” Veytsman says. Her advice? “I would recommend completely staying away from any sort of teeth scaling at home.”
Dr. Cary Goldstein, DMD, a dentist and owner of Goldstein Dental Care, agrees. “While there are a number of at-home teeth scaling kits available on the market, it is not recommended that you attempt to scale your own teeth at home,” he tells Bustle. “Scaling your teeth yourself can be dangerous as you may not be able to properly clean all of the tartar and plaque from your teeth, which can lead to further dental problems down the road.”
Here’s the real kicker: Even if you manage to scale your teeth properly, it’s possible it won’t be as thorough as what an actual dental hygienist would do, Goldstein says. Since dental health is important for overall health — and small dental issues can quickly turn into bigger ones — it’s best to leave this one to the professionals.
What To Do Instead Of Scaling
If you’re waiting for your next dental visit, there are plenty of ways to take care of your teeth at home — no scaling required. For an extra clean mouth, Veytsman recommends flossing regularly, using an electric toothbrush, brushing your tongue, and using mouthwash to keep bacteria at bay. Staying hydrated can also help keep your salivary pH in check, she says, so that you’re less likely to develop as much buildup in the first place.
Studies referenced:
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Dawes, C. (2019). Role of Saliva and Salivary Diagnostics in the Advancement of Oral Health. J Dent Res. doi: 10.1177/0022034518816961.
Fons-Badal, C. (2020). Analysis of Predisposing Factors for Rapid Dental Calculus Formation. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9030858
Lamont, T. (2018). Routine scale and polish for periodontal health in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004625.pub5.
Ottawa (ON): Dental Scaling and Root Planing for Periodontal Health: A Review of the Clinical Effectiveness, Cost-effectiveness, and Guidelines [Internet]. Canadian Agency for D and Technologies in Health; 2016 Oct 17.
Tolentino Ede, S. (2011). Saliva and tongue coating pH before and after use of mouthwashes and relationship with parameters of halitosis. J Appl Oral Sci. doi: 10.1590/s1678-77572011000200002.
Sources:
Dr. Victoria Veytsman, DDS, cosmetic dentist
Dr. Cary Goldstein, DMD, dentist, owner of Goldstein Dental Care
