Tooth Polishing Health Article

Definition

Tooth polishing is the smoothing of all exposed tooth surfaces with a rubber cup, a brush, or by an air polisher driven by a slow-speed hand piece or water unit.

Purpose

According to the Journal of Periodontology an oral prophylaxis is the removal of plaque, calculus, and stains from the exposed and unexposed surfaces of the teeth by scaling and polishing as a means to prevent periodontal disease. A cleaning involves removing debris and extraneous matter from the teeth. Polishing makes the surfaces of teeth smooth. As a result of these procedures, the teeth are smooth and clean at the end of treatment.

Precautions

Historically polishing has been part of the oral prophylaxis appointment. Dental polishing was considered important for the removal of plaque and stain prior to a fluoride treatment to insure adequate uptake of fluoride in the enamel. Recent research by the American Dental Association has shown that polishing does not improve the uptake prior to a professionally applied fluoride treatment. Polishing prior to a sealant application has also been considered important, but recent research by the ADA again has shown that other methods of plaque removal are equally efficient.

The American Dental Hygienist Association (ADHA) considers that polishing of the teeth is a cosmetic procedure with little therapeutic benefit. Some have argued that continuous polishing over time can cause morphological changes in the teeth by abrading tooth structure and removing fluoride in the outer layers of the enamel. In some cases, polishing is required where there is heavy staining that cleaning with hand instruments will not take care of, but polishing should not be considered a routine part of the oral prophylaxis and the dentist and dental hygienist must assess each patient for the amount, type, and location of stain present to determine the need for polishing.

Air polishing was introduced in the mid-1980s. It is a technique for cleaning tooth surfaces efficiently removing stain and soft tissue deposits. The technique consists of directing a stream of air, water, and sodium bicarbonate particles at the tooth surface to be cleaned. Compared with conventional polishing methods using a rotating rubber cup or brush, together with a polishing paste, air polishing is less abrasive on the teeth, more efficient, faster, and allows better access to difficult-to-reach areas. Concerns over airborne pathogens associated with the air polisher have arisen causing the ADA to study data on the matter. Data suggests that an aerosol reduction device attached to the air polishing unit is effective in reducing the number of aerosol microorganisms generated during air polishing and that the air polisher is a safe unit to use.