A professional preventive procedure performed by a dentist or hygienist to remove plaque, calculus (tartar), and surface stains from the teeth.
Even with perfect brushing, saliva causes plaque to harden into tartar in hard-to-reach areas. You cannot brush tartar off; it must be scraped off. Leaving it leads to Gingivitis.
The mechanical removal of bacterial deposits from teeth.
Typically 30 to 45 minutes for a standard cleaning. Deep cleanings (SRP) take longer.