The first thing that everyone should know is, polishing is a selective procedure. Not every patient needs to have their teeth polished or every single tooth in the mouth only the teeth with a stain.
The purpose of polishing are too remove extrinsic (stains on the outside of the tooth) stains that cannot be removed but brushing or scaling.
RCP is also used for polishing amalgam (form of filling), which makes the filling more resistant to tarnishing and corrosion. It prepares the teeth for cavity preventing agents like sealants. Also used before cementation of orthodontic bands, crowns, and bridges. Lastly, for polishing of the root surfaces that have been exposed during periodontal surgery to reduce endotoxins and bacteria on the cementum.
The Effects of Rubber Cup Polishing
A RCP and cause a person to have a bacteremia which means there is an introduction of bacteria that is localized in the mouth, and then goes into your blood stream. This happens when plaque is not under control and then the RCP brush irritates the gum tissue causing it to bleed and then the plaque gets into the blood stream. This can also clog your arteries so floss and brush your teeth daily!!!
Another effect RCP has is that it produces aerosols. The biological contaminant of aerosols stay suspended for long periods, increasing disease transmission to the dental team and patients.
Another very important effect of RCP is that it removes 2mm of your tooth enamel. Which is why dental assistants want to selectively polish the teeth. It is also important to have the fluoride treatment after the polish because it puts that enamel back(we'll talk about this later)! Newly erupted teeth should not be polished because the tooth enamel isn't fully mineralized.
It can also cause teeth to have a rougher surface if a very abrasive polishing paste was used to get off a tough stain. A rougher surface is a perfect place for bacteria to colonize and ferment the carbohydrates to make the acid that gives you a cavity.
Note: Stains and deposits removed by polishing will return promptly if plaque control is not carried out faithfully (brushing and flossing).
Self Care With Tooth Brushing and Flossing
Purposes of Dental Flossing
With the effective use of dental floss it accomplishes the removal of dental plaque and debris that adhere to the teeth, restorations, orthodontic appliances, fixed prostheses, pontics and around implants from the gingiva (gums) in the interproximal (contacts areas in between the teeth) area and the sulcus (the area when the gums attach to the tooth. Also the place were plaque and food debris are harboured. Very important to clean) space. Flossing also aids in identifying the presence of subgingival (below the gum line) calculus (plaque turned into a hard deposit). It also reduces gingival bleeding. A lot of people might be surprised by this, but the reason your gums bleed when you floss is because your not flossing enough! The bleeding means that your gums are irritated by the plaque and food build up.
