Tartar on your teeth? Teeth cleaning and tartar removal: what happens in the session
A cleaning removes tartar above and below the gum line, along with surface stains, and lets your gums settle when tartar is what has been irritating them. You come back for one on the schedule the doctor sets for your mouth.
Hours: Sat–Wed 10–6 · Thu 10–4 · Fri closed
What happens in the session
- 1
Your teeth and gums are examinedBefore anything else: where the tartar is and how much, above the gum line or beneath it, and the state of your gums.
- 2
The tartar comes off (the scaling)Special instruments loosen the tartar from the tooth without cutting into it when used properly, above the gum line and beneath it. The tartar beneath matters most: you cannot see it in the mirror, and it is what harms the gums.
- 3
PolishingIt removes surface stains from coffee, tea and smoking, and leaves the tooth surface smooth.
- 4
Advice for your careWe show you where the tartar was heaviest, how to reach those places with your brush and floss, and the schedule that suits you for your next cleaning.
- 5
If something else turns upA cleaning reveals what the tartar was covering. If decay or deeper gum disease turns up, you are told about it and your options before anything is done, not after: Tooth decay and fillings · Gum inflammation, bleeding and recession.
Drag and see: tartar before and after cleaning
What you feel, and afterwards
- A sting at the gum line. It can happen when there is a lot of tartar or the gums are inflamed, and the doctor can numb the area.
- Bleeding for the first few days of brushing. Inflamed gums bleed at the lightest touch, during the cleaning and for the first few days of brushing after it. The bleeding comes from the inflammation that was already there, not from a cut made by the cleaning, and it eases over the following days as the inflammation clears.
- Sensitivity to cold for a few days. Tartar was covering part of the tooth at the gum line, and once it is gone that part is exposed to cold for a few days. It usually settles on its own.
- A cleaning does not whiten. It brings your teeth back to their own colour, and no further: Cleaning or whitening: what is the difference.
Kept on the schedule the doctor sets, cleanings help keep your gums and the bone that holds your teeth healthy, and the check-up that comes with them is there to catch decay and gum disease early.
What to do, and when to call
At home, your job is not to remove tartar but to stop new tartar forming, so your next cleaning is easier and gentler:
- Every day: brush twice with a soft brush and a fluoride toothpaste, especially at the gum line, and floss between your teeth.
- If you are in Amman for a while: say so when you book, and the cleaning and its schedule are planned around your dates as far as the work allows.
- Call this week: if the bleeding increases or has not eased after two weeks of care, or if the sensitivity has not eased after a few days or has grown stronger.
- Call today: a swelling in the gum or cheek, strong pain that does not go away, or bleeding that does not stop with pressure. That does not wait for a cleaning appointment: Dental emergencies and abscesses.
Call and we will find you the earliest slot, and tell you what to do until you arrive. Before any painkiller or a sensitivity toothpaste, ask the doctor first, so it suits your case. If it hurts badly now and the clinic is closed: what to do until morning.
And who treats you?
The clinic has a team of dentists, Dr. Adnan Alakhras among them, and you find out the state of your teeth and gums before any plan is put to you. His qualifications are on his page: Read about the doctor and the clinic.
Questions people ask
Does it hurt?
Usually not. Most people feel pressure, vibration and a spray of water, not pain. Someone with a lot of tartar or inflamed gums may feel a sting at the gum line, and in that case the doctor can numb the area and carry on. Sensitivity to cold for a few days afterwards is common, and it usually settles on its own. Before any painkiller or a sensitivity toothpaste, ask the doctor first, so it suits your case. If it hurts badly now and the clinic is closed: what to do until morning. If fear itself is the problem, say so from the first moment and we will go at your pace. When the visit is hard.
How long does it take?
Usually one session, and it takes longer when there is a lot of tartar or it has gone under the gum line; sometimes it is split over more than one visit. It starts with an examination, and polishing is done in the same session. The actual timing for your case is discussed at the examination.
Are there payment plans?
Not at the moment. The doctor is looking into it, and wants a trustworthy partner before he commits to anything; the details are under Payment and insurance on What decides the cost of your treatment. What you can do now: book the cleaning. It starts with an examination, and the decision after it is yours. You will find out whether the cleaning is done in one session or needs more. The cost itself is discussed after the examination, not over the phone.
Does a cleaning damage the enamel?
A cleaning at the dentist removes the tartar; it does not remove the enamel, when it is done by trained hands with the right settings. Tartar is a layer on the tooth, not part of it, and enamel is far harder than tartar. What actually does harm is tartar left in place, and the sharp tools and mixtures people use to scrape it off at home. Does removing tartar damage the teeth or the enamel?
How often should I have a cleaning?
There is no one number for everyone, and any number of months you come across is an average across many mouths, not a figure for yours. What sets it is the state of your gums and teeth, and how fast tartar comes back in your mouth. At your first cleaning the doctor sees where you stand, tells you the schedule that suits you, and adjusts it to how much comes back.
Does a cleaning whiten my teeth?
It brings them back to their own colour, the one the tartar and stains were covering. But that is not whitening: a cleaning does not change the colour of the tooth itself. If your colour sits on the outside, a cleaning is usually enough. If it comes from inside, you see it a few days after the cleaning and decide on whitening on a clean tooth. Cleaning or whitening: what is the difference.
We suggest only the treatment you need, we tell you why, and we protect your tooth before we think about extraction.
Your next step
You come in, you are examined, and the tartar comes off. If anything else turns up, you decide in your own time, with no pressure.
Pages that go with this one
This page explains teeth cleaning in general; it is not a diagnosis of your case. The decision is made at the examination, and the cost is discussed after the examination.