A dental prophylaxis or scaling is a professional procedure to thoroughly clean your teeth. Prophylaxis is an important dental treatment for halting the progression of periodontal disease and gingivitis. Dental cleanings involve removing plaque (soft, sticky, bacteria infested film) and tartar (calculus) deposits that have built up on the teeth over time. If the scale, or calculus (tartar, as dentists like to call it) is allowed to accumulate on the teeth it will unfortunately provide the right conditions for bacteria to thrive next to the gums. Periodontal disease and gingivitis occur when bacteria from plaque colonise the gingival (gum) tissue, either above or below the gum line. We recommend that you should get prophylaxis twice a year, or more often if you suffer from periodontitis.