In addition to dental checkup, the editor of Indonesia Expat had the chance to visit the new clinic premises of Escalade Dental Specialist Center, South Jakarta, and receive a scaling treatment by one of the most recommended dentists in the city.
Let’s begin with this: scaling treatment on your teeth is important — and no amount of mouth-wash (oral rinse) product can be the substitute for it. And if you share the same lifestyle as mine — a lifestyle of which you cannot go through each day without at least three cups of black coffee — perhaps it is high time for you to turn ‘scaling treatment appointments’ into one of the most essential routines of your life.
But what is scaling treatment, exactly?
To put it simply, scaling (or, teeth scaling) is a procedure to clean or remove tartar (also known as clumped minerals) that stick to the gum line. This treatment is considered very common in this day and age, and should be done to protect tooth enamel under the gums, as well as the gum tissue, from periodontal disease. In addition, with healthy teeth and gums, you can also avoid other oral problems and tooth loss.
Sure — scaling treatment is good for the health of your teeth as well as its appearance, but the benefits are so much deeper than that. Elaborated in the following bullet points, below are some of the crucial benefits of scaling treatment:
- Prevent gum disease: Scaling can help reduce the risk of gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis, which are caused by plaque and tartar buildup;
- Prevent tartar formation: Tartar forms when plaque that is not cleaned hardens. Thus, routine scaling can prevent the formation of more tartar that cannot be removed by just brushing;
- Improve oral health: Scaling can help improve overall oral health by removing plaque and bacteria on the teeth;
- Improve dental aesthetics: Yes, scaling can help remove stains that stick to the surface of the teeth, such as stains from coffee, tea, or tobacco. As a result, after scaling treatment, your teeth can look brighter and whiter as well;
- Prevent further tooth decay: By reducing plaque and tartar buildup, scaling can help reduce the risk of further tooth decay.
Now that we can be on the same page concerning the importance of scaling treatment, the next question is: which dentistry is the best place for us to seek such important treatment? Well, if you happen to work or be based in South Jakarta, Escalade Dental Specialist Center can be at the top of your list of dentistry to be considered.
Embarrassingly, I was not exactly the most diligent person when it came to scaling treatment. In fact, once my teeth were photographed for further analysis by the dentist who was in charge of my treatment, the always-brilliant Drg. Astrid Khatalia, Sp.Pros (whom I endearingly called ‘Doctor Astrid’), I was secretly dreading the criticism and judgment that might follow suit. After all, dentists are often seen as cold, scary, and critical.
However, to my surprise, Doctor Astrid treated me, as well as the state of my not-so-exemplary teeth, with warmth, kindness, and empathy. Firstly, she explained to me the ‘tools’ that she would use for scaling treatment here at the Escalade Dental Specialist Center: Ultrasonic Scaler and Water Pressure.
“Ultrasonic Scaler is useful for removing hard tartar — because removing hard tartar requires a kind of physical mechanics. Your teeth will feel a kind of vibration from the Ultrasonic Scaler. The use of this Ultrasonic Scaler is then combined with the use of Water Pressure,” Doctor Astrid highlighted.
She continued, “As for Water Pressure, this tool is useful for cleaning stain residue that is between teeth or areas in the mouth that are difficult to reach. The pressure applied for this Water Pressure is quite strong. In addition, this Water Pressure contains a kind of special powder that may taste salty on the patient’s tongue. If the patient’s lips feel sensitive because of this Water Pressure, we would rub some moisturizer on the lips. In the end, cleaning tartar using this Water Pressure can be likened to a car wash machine.”
The equipment that Doctor Astrid used was impressive, but perhaps what impressed me the most was how she and her team of dental assistants consistently (and patiently) informed me of the step-by-step progress of the scaling treatment using a very advanced camera as well as a flat-screen in front of me that, in real-time, screened all the changes in my teeth that the camera captured. Personally, I felt such ease being able to actually see what Doctor Astrid had been doing with my teeth — instead of my prior experience in which I would usually have to wait until the dentist was completely done with my teeth.
And of course, Doctor Astrid was more than generous to educate me about why tartar is never to be underestimated.
“Simply put, tartar is food residue that sticks to the teeth. Indonesians often call tartar ‘jigong‘,” she quipped. “Whatever the food, if the residue is deposited between the teeth and not cleaned, over time it will harden due to calcium from saliva. That’s why we have to brush our teeth regularly — while the food residue, or the plaque, is still soft and can be cleaned. That being said, there are usually areas that may not be brushed.”
Furthermore, unattended tartar can also lead to premature teeth loss.
“If the plaque has entered the gums, it can also damage the gums as well as the bones of the tooth. If this continues to happen, the tooth will eventually loosen and fall out by itself,” Doctor Astrid added.
As an expert in her field, Doctor Astrid understands very well that dental treatment can be pretty complex. Scaling treatment can lead to the discovery of other possible issues, and just like our bodies, every limb and system within it is always interrelated. That is also why Escalade Dental Specialist Center stands out among other dentistry in the city: this clinic is ready to tackle such complexities with a unified solution.
“What makes Escalade Dental Specialist Center unique is how we are keen on providing a one-stop service,” Doctor Astrid explained. “That’s also why we call it the Escalade Dental Specialist Center, where all the experienced specialist doctors work in one place. We conduct a comprehensive examination of our patients, which then becomes the basis for us to design a ‘treatment plan’ from start to finish. Although the patient may require different treatments from different specialists, in the end, all of us specialists at Escalade Dental Specialist Center work synergistically. Patients do not need to worry about whether treatments from different specialists will affect the ‘treatment plan’ that the patient has followed from the beginning.”
What about the patients who are expatriates?
“No need to worry,” she answered. “All specialists and staff here are ready to take care of the patients in English as well.”
And finally, I got to see the complete result of my scaling treatment. I believe the following image should be convincing enough for our readers to trust the impressive skills of Doctor Astrid and her dedicated staff at Escalade Dental Specialist Center. My teeth — which, before today, visited the dentist before the pandemic and never again since then — enjoyed a fairytale-like makeover.
(The top image is my teeth before the scaling treatment; the bottom image is my teeth after the scaling treatment.)
Thank you very much, Doctor Astrid!
Escalade Dental Specialist Center provides dental care for the whole family. Its services range from adult and child care to orthodontic care. To find out more about Escalade Dental Specialist Center, visit its official website www.escaladedental.com or its Instagram page @escaladedental.
- Address: Satrio Tower 13th Floor, Jl. Prof. DR. Satrio No.Kav C4, Kuningan, South Jakarta.
- Patient Organiser’s WhatsApp number: +62 878-7513-8040