Scale and Polish: What It Involves and What It Costs

A scale and polish removes the hardened tartar a toothbrush cannot shift, then smooths the tooth surface so it builds up more slowly. Ours is £73 and takes about 30 minutes. It is preventive maintenance, not treatment for gum disease.

What Happens in the Appointment

Half an hour, no anaesthetic, and you can go straight back to work afterwards.

Assessment first. The hygienist looks at your gums, checks for bleeding points, and notes where deposits have built up. If pocket depths look concerning you will be told, because that changes what treatment you need.

Scaling. Tartar is removed from the tooth surfaces and just under the gum margin, using an ultrasonic scaler that vibrates deposits away with a water spray, plus fine hand instruments for detail. The ultrasonic does the bulk of the work quickly.

Stain removal. Surface staining from coffee, tea, red wine and tobacco is lifted. We use Airflow for this, which directs a fine spray of powder and water at the tooth surface and reaches stain that polishing paste alone leaves behind. It is particularly effective between teeth and around the gumline.

Polishing. A rotating cup and prophylaxis paste smooth the enamel. This matters more than it sounds: a smooth surface gives plaque far less to grip, so the result lasts longer.

Advice, honestly given. Which areas you are consistently missing, and what would actually help. Most people are missing the same two or three places every day without knowing.

Scale and Polish, or Deep Cleaning?

These are different treatments and the distinction decides whether a scale and polish will help you at all.

A scale and polish cleans the visible tooth surfaces and just below the gum margin. 30 minutes, no anaesthetic, £73. Right for healthy gums, or gums with mild inflammation.

Deep cleaning, or root planing goes several millimetres into pockets that have formed between gum and root. 60 to 90 minutes per section, under local anaesthetic, and considerably more expensive.

How to know which you need: if your gums bleed regularly when you brush, if you have been told you have pockets, or if a tooth feels slightly loose, a scale and polish alone will not be enough. It cleans above the problem. Getting your pocket depths measured is the way to find out, and that happens at the assessment.

Being straight about it: a scale and polish on established gum disease feels productive and achieves very little, because the bacteria causing the damage sit below where the instruments reach.

What It Costs

Ours is £73 for a 30-minute appointment with our hygienist.

For context, private scale and polish rates in the UK generally run £70 to £100, and London practices commonly charge £80 to £150. Our fee sits at the lower end of the London range.

On the NHS, a scale and polish is included within the Band 1 charge where it is clinically necessary. Two things worth knowing: it is not provided routinely at every check-up, and NHS appointment availability in London is limited. Band charges change each April, so check the current figure on the NHS website.

Full pricing is on our fees page.

How Often Should You Have One?

Every six months for most people with healthy gums, usually alongside your check-up.

Every three to four months if you have a history of gum disease, if you build up tartar quickly, if you smoke, if you have implants, crowns or bridges, or if you are diabetic. Some people simply form tartar faster than others, and that is largely down to saliva chemistry rather than anything you are doing wrong.

More often, temporarily, while stabilising gum disease or during orthodontic treatment, where cleaning is harder.

If you have been having one appointment a year and your gums bleed, the interval is the thing to change first.

Does It Hurt?

For most people it is uncomfortable rather than painful, in the way having your hair washed at a salon is not painful. Some scraping sensation, some vibration, some cold water.

It hurts more if your gums are already inflamed, because inflamed tissue is tender and bleeds. That is a reason to go more often rather than less. Healthy gums are far more comfortable to clean, and people who attend regularly find it easy.

Sensitivity afterwards for a day or two is common, particularly to cold, and particularly if a lot of tartar came off. The deposits were partly insulating the tooth. It settles. If it does not, our page on sudden tooth sensitivity covers what to do.

Tell the hygienist if you find it difficult. Topical numbing gel is available and takes the edge off.

What It Will Not Do

Worth setting expectations, because two things get confused with it regularly.

It is not whitening. A scale and polish removes surface stain, which often makes teeth look noticeably brighter and leads people to think they have been whitened. It cannot change the underlying colour of your teeth. If you want a genuine shade change, that is whitening, and having a clean first makes whitening work better and more evenly.

It does not fix receded gums. Gum that has pulled back does not return, and removing tartar sometimes reveals gaps that the swollen tissue was hiding. That can be a surprise. It is the gum showing its true level rather than the cleaning causing harm.

It does not treat decay. Cleaning around a cavity does not repair it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a scale and polish in the UK?

Ours is £73 for 30 minutes. Private rates nationally run £70 to £100, and £80 to £150 in London. On the NHS it falls within the Band 1 charge where clinically necessary.

How long does a scale and polish take?

About 30 minutes. Longer if there is heavy build-up or if it has been several years since your last one.

How often should I get a scale and polish?

Every six months for healthy gums. Every three to four months if you have had gum disease, build up tartar quickly, smoke, or have implants and bridges.

What is the difference between a scale and polish and a deep clean?

A scale and polish cleans visible surfaces and just under the gum margin, in 30 minutes without anaesthetic. A deep clean reaches several millimetres into gum pockets, takes 60 to 90 minutes per section, and needs anaesthetic.

Will a scale and polish whiten my teeth?

It removes surface stain, which often looks like whitening, but it cannot change your natural tooth shade. Having one before whitening improves the result.

Do I need a check-up as well?

They are different appointments doing different jobs. The hygienist cleans and assesses your gums. The dentist checks for decay, cracks and problems with existing fillings. Most people have both at the same visit.

Can I have a scale and polish if my gums bleed?

Yes, and bleeding gums are a reason to come rather than to stay away. It may be more tender, and it tells us whether you need a scale and polish or deeper treatment.

Is a hygienist appointment worth the money?

For most people it is the cheapest dentistry they will ever have. Gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss and it is largely preventable. The alternative costs are considerably higher, as our guide to loose teeth in adults sets out.

Book a Hygienist Appointment in Elephant & Castle

If it has been a while, the appointment is more comfortable than you are expecting and takes half an hour.

Call 020 7928 4474 or book online. We are in Elephant and Castle, minutes from Waterloo, Borough, London Bridge and Southwark. Our dental hygiene page covers what our hygienists offer, and gum disease explains what happens when cleaning is left too long.

Our fee is £73 at time of writing. Market ranges are indicative UK figures from published 2026 guides. NHS band charges change each April. Last reviewed August 2026.