Professional dental cleaning

In case of very persistent plaque, tartar and other discolorations of the tooth substance, a so-called “professional tooth cleaning” by a dentist should be considered. Professional tooth cleaning is an effective measure to remove plaque, in which the surfaces and spaces between the teeth are cleaned mechanically. Countless studies have shown that the risk of caries and periodontosis (the actual technical term is periodontitis) can be significantly reduced if professional teeth cleaning is carried out regularly.

During the process of plaque removal (curettage), the dentist uses variously ground instruments that enable him to clean the tooth surface up to the gum line. Even the removal of plaque in hard-to-reach areas, which can hardly be kept clean even with dental floss and interdental space brushes, can be guaranteed in the course of professional dental cleaning. An alternative to tooth cleaning by means of curettage is the so-called “Air Flow Procedure”.

With this method the tooth surface is freed from plaque by using a water-salt mixture. Also here the expert opinions differ widely. While many dentists are of the opinion that tooth cleaning by means of Air Flow in combination with effective dental care at home contributes significantly to maintaining dental health, other specialists assume that small particles of the water-salt mixture abrade and roughen the tooth surface and thus form new attachment points for bacteria.

The costs of professional tooth cleaning are usually not covered by the statutory health insurance companies.Only once a year, a simple tartar removal can be invoiced by the public dentist, but this is by far not as effective as a complete professional tooth cleaning. For this reason, this prophylactic measure is billed according to the principles of private billing. On average, the dentist charges around 3.62 euros per tooth for the services rendered, and even more if the work is very time-consuming (e.g. high saliva flow). The total costs ultimately depend on the number of teeth to be cleaned. In contrast to the statutory health insurance companies, private insurance companies cover the costs of professional tooth cleaning in full.