Teeth cleaning price: what a scale and polish involves and costs

A teeth cleaning, or scale and polish, takes off the hardened tartar that brushing can't shift and polishes away surface stains. Its price depends on what your visit needs, and at Durban Dental Care we go through that with you at your check-up.

What you pay for

A routine clean is often done at the same visit as a check-up and any X-rays, and usually takes 30 to 60 minutes.

For what it feels like and how to look after your teeth afterwards, see what happens at a teeth cleaning. If the check finds decay or a broken filling, a tooth-coloured filling is a separate treatment.

Investing in your teeth

There is no set scale and polish price in South Africa, because each practice sets its own fees. The cost of yours depends on how much tartar has built up, whether you need a deep clean below the gum line, and whether the visit also includes a check-up and X-rays. For the other parts of a dental visit, read what dental visits cost.

Regular clean or deep clean?

A regular clean takes tartar off the teeth above and just below the gum line. A deep clean (non-surgical root planing) treats gum disease by cleaning the roots of the teeth below the gum line. It is usually done with local anaesthetic and takes one to two hours. For how a deep clean is done, see what a deep clean involves.

How often do you need one?

There is no single right interval. UK national guidance from NICE on dental recall recommends that the time between check-ups is set for each person according to their risk: from 3 to 24 months for adults, and no more than 12 months for under-18s.

Researchers have also tested the six-month habit directly. A 2018 Cochrane review of two UK trials, which followed 1,711 adults without severe gum disease for two to three years, found that a scale and polish every six or 12 months reduced tartar slightly, with six-monthly cleaning a little ahead of yearly. It made little or no difference to gum inflammation (gingivitis) or to the depth of the pockets around the teeth.

If you have gum disease, smoke or build up tartar quickly, you may need a clean more often than every six months. If your gums are healthy and tartar builds up slowly, you may be able to go longer. We suggest an interval at your check-up and explain why.

Medical aid, card or cash

If your plan has dental or day-to-day benefits, your scheme pays at its own rate, up to your plan's limits, so check this year's benefits before you book. We accept medical aid, card and cash, any shortfall is paid on the day, and you can ask us about paying in instalments. For how schemes pay for dental work in general, read our guide to medical aid and dental cover.

Is a scale and polish worth it?

Yes, if you have tartar, because only a professional clean gets it off. Tartar along the gum line keeps gums inflamed, so if your gums bleed or you have gum disease, a clean is part of treating it, along with careful cleaning at home. If your gums bleed when you brush, read about bleeding gums.

Cleaning isn't whitening

Polishing removes surface stains, such as those from tea, coffee and smoking, so teeth can look brighter after a clean. It doesn't change the natural colour of the tooth. Whitening does that, with a peroxide gel. To compare the ways of lightening teeth, read teeth whitening options.

Your questions about teeth cleaning prices