Will teeth polishing make them whiter

Now more and more people are having problems with their teeth. The health of teeth does affect our physical and mental health, because if the teeth become very dark and not white, people will not be confident when they smile. Some people will choose to make their teeth look better by polishing their teeth, but tooth polishing will make the teeth more glossy. Whether they can become whiter depends on the effect after treatment.

How to operate

When polishing, place the rubber wheel (cup) on a low-speed handpiece, dip it in polishing paste or toothpaste and other polishing agents and place it on the tooth surface. Apply slight pressure to allow the thin edge of the rubber cup to extend under the gums. Half-step on the foot pedal, rotate at a low speed, and move forward in an imbricate manner to polish the tooth surface.

Research progress

Some scholars searched the Medline database and manually searched the literature on post-ultrasonic scaling and polishing from 1981 to 2011. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, they selected 6 clinical controlled trials for quality assessment. Taking the plaque index as a unified research result, the literature was balanced tested and the data from each literature was combined for statistical analysis. The results of Meta-analysis showed that polishing after ultrasonic scaling can effectively remove pigments, improve the cleanliness and smoothness of the tooth surface, and hinder the re-adhesion of plaque and pigments, which in turn helps to control gingival inflammation and maintain the effect of periodontal treatment.

Applied Materials

The main component of the polish is fine particles of sodium bicarbonate. Some finished products contain low concentrations of fluoride. Toothpaste or tooth powder can also be used instead. Studies have shown that the use of polishing paste containing desensitizing ingredients has a certain effect on immediately improving dentin sensitivity.

Precautions

The key areas for polishing are consistent with those for plaque control, which are the gingival margin and adjacent tooth surfaces. Only after the gingival margin and the adjacent surfaces of the teeth are fully polished can the tooth surface be guaranteed to be smooth, avoiding the redeposition of plaque in these two areas, thereby avoiding the occurrence and recurrence of gingivitis.

When polishing, always keep the polishing compound lubricated to reduce heat generated by the friction of the rubber cup rotation. Excessive polishing can also remove the thinner cementum at the neck of the tooth. Cup brushes are harder and should only be used on crowns to avoid damaging the cementum and gums.