Teeth Cleaning

We recommend a check-up and cleaning every six months for most people. Your hygienist or dentist may suggest a different interval based on your gums, how quickly tartar builds up and risk factors such as gum disease, smoking or wearing braces; some people need cleanings more often.

A cleaning usually takes 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your mouth. A standard cleaning is generally not painful; if your gums are inflamed or there’s a lot of tartar, you may feel some discomfort, and a local anaesthetic can be used if needed. See our Teeth Cleaning Guide for more.

A registered dental hygienist is a trained dental professional who carries out cleaning, periodontal scaling and oral hygiene advice under the direction of a registered dentist. The dentist examines, diagnoses and treats problems such as cavities or infected tooth nerves (root canal treatment). At our clinics, cleanings are usually done by a registered dental hygienist, and anything that needs treatment is passed to a dentist.

A regular cleaning removes plaque and tartar at and just below the gumline and polishes the teeth. A deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) targets tartar that has built up under the gums, cleaning the pockets around the teeth and smoothing the root surfaces so the gums can heal and the pockets tighten. It’s for people with signs of gum disease and may take two or more visits if there’s a lot of buildup. Your dentist or hygienist will advise which you need.

Based on the Prince Philip Dental Hospital (PPDH) private patient fee schedule, related items are supportive periodontal care at about HK$500–$1,500 and non-surgical periodontal treatment (deep cleaning) at about HK$3,000–$8,000 per quadrant; the schedule doesn’t list routine scaling and polishing separately. A routine clean varies with the amount of tartar and whether X-rays are needed; see the fee reference page or ask the clinic. For reference only; this is not our clinic’s actual pricing, and your fee is confirmed after an examination.

No, cleaning doesn’t move your teeth apart. Once tartar that was filling the spaces is removed, and inflamed gums settle down, the gaps can look larger; this usually means the gums are getting healthier. If gaps are obvious or keep changing, ask your dentist to check your gums.

Polishing removes surface stains from coffee, tea and similar, so your teeth return to their natural shade, but it doesn’t change the colour of the teeth themselves. If you’d like them whiter, see Teeth Whitening.

Your teeth may be slightly sensitive to hot or cold and your gums may bleed a little for a few days; this usually settles quickly. For 24 hours, avoid very hot, cold or spicy food. If fluoride was applied, follow your hygienist’s advice on how long to wait before eating. Keep brushing twice a day and flossing.

Elderly Health Care Vouchers can be used for dental services provided by a registered dentist by eligible Hong Kong residents aged 65 or above. Please check with the clinic when booking whether your cleaning is covered and how much you can use, and bring your Hong Kong Identity Card to the appointment.