Dental clinic · Montreal and Outremont · Care
Dental cleaning and scaling in Montreal
Even with faultless brushing, tartar eventually builds up. A cleaning removes it where your brush cannot reach, and it remains the most effective prevention against cavities and gum disease. It is also the appointment where early problems get spotted, at a stage when they are still simple to treat. Exams and cleanings take place at the Outremont clinic, with our dentists and hygienists.
Why tartar comes back, even when you brush well
Dental plaque is a film of bacteria that reforms within hours on every tooth, including yours. While it is soft, brushing and floss remove it. But minerals in your saliva harden it steadily, and within one to three days it turns into tartar, a calcified deposit bonded to the enamel. From that point no brush will shift it, and no toothpaste either: it takes an instrument. Tartar settles first where saliva enters the mouth, behind the lower front teeth and against the upper molars, which is why those spots come back every time no matter how well you brush. This is not a hygiene failure, it is chemistry.
What a visit includes
A typical visit combines four things. An exam first: the state of your teeth, your gums, any existing restorations, and the soft tissues of the mouth. Then scaling, which removes hard deposits above the gum and at its margin, with hand instruments or an ultrasonic device depending on the deposit. Polishing, which smooths the enamel surface — a smooth surface holds less plaque, so the next build-up takes longer to settle. Finally, advice based on what was actually seen in your mouth rather than generic guidance: if tartar always returns to the same spot, that is where the technique needs to change. X-rays are taken when they are useful, particularly to find decay between two teeth, which cannot be seen by eye.
Scaling and root planing are not the same thing
The two are often confused, and the difference matters for what gets recommended to you. Scaling deals with what is visible and reachable: above the gum and right at its margin. That is the routine cleaning. Root planing goes beneath the gum, along the root, into pockets that formed because the gum attachment pulled away. That is no longer prevention, it is treatment of established gum disease, and it belongs to periodontics. It is often done by quadrant, sometimes under local anaesthetic, and it needs follow-up. If root planing is proposed instead of a simple cleaning, it means the exam found pockets: ask to see them measured, which is your right and makes the decision clear.
How often to come
Every six months suits most adults with healthy mouths. That is not a universal rule, it is an average. Some people form tartar very quickly, for reasons of saliva composition they have no control over, and benefit from an appointment every three or four months. Others, at low risk, can space visits out. Gum disease being brought under control, diabetes, smoking, pregnancy, or wearing orthodontic appliances are all reasons to come more often. Your dentist suggests a schedule based on what is seen in your mouth, and it gets revised over time.
What a cleaning does not do
This is worth saying plainly, because the expectation is common. A cleaning does not whiten teeth. It removes surface staining left by coffee, tea, wine or tobacco, and teeth often look brighter afterwards — but that is the natural shade reappearing, not a new one. Changing the underlying colour is whitening, which is a different treatment. A cleaning also does not treat a cavity that has already formed, and it does not repair a cracked tooth. It detects them, which matters a great deal, but the treatment is a separate appointment.
Coverage and billing
RAMQ covers certain care for children under 10, including the exam and the cleaning, under the rules of the plan. For adults, cleanings are generally covered by private insurance and by the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Care covered by that plan is billed at the plan rate: the gap with our usual fees is not charged to the patient, even though the plan would allow it. We bill electronically and give you the procedure codes so that you can check your coverage before committing.
Your questions about our dental care.
Is dental cleaning covered by RAMQ?
RAMQ covers certain care for children under 10, including the exam and the cleaning. For adults, cleanings generally fall under private insurance and the Canadian Dental Care Plan. We bill electronically.
Does scaling damage enamel?
No. The instruments remove tartar, which is a calcified deposit bonded to the surface, without cutting into enamel. Scaling protects teeth and gums, because tartar keeps inflammation going wherever it is left behind.
Does it hurt?
A routine cleaning is generally well tolerated. An inflamed gum is more sensitive and may bleed during the visit, which is a sign of inflammation rather than of rough handling. Say so during the appointment: the technique can be adjusted.
My gums bleed during scaling — is that normal?
It is common, and it shows the gum was already inflamed before the visit. A healthy gum does not bleed. The bleeding usually settles over the following days as the inflammation resolves.
Does a cleaning whiten teeth?
No. It removes surface staining from coffee, tea, wine or tobacco, and teeth often look brighter because their natural shade reappears. Changing the underlying shade is whitening, which is a separate treatment.
What is the difference between scaling and root planing?
Scaling removes deposits above the gum and at its margin: that is the routine cleaning. Root planing goes beneath the gum, into pockets created by established gum disease. That is treatment rather than prevention, and it requires follow-up.
How often should I have a cleaning?
Every six months suits most adults. Some people form tartar faster and benefit from an appointment every three or four months. Gum disease, smoking, diabetes or orthodontic appliances are reasons to come more often.
Who performs the cleaning at the clinic?
Our dental hygienists and our dentists, registered with their professional order. The exam that accompanies the visit is carried out by a general dentist who is a member of the Ordre des dentistes du Québec.