Considering spaces and margins
Deposits may remain in hard-to-reach areas despite daily brushing. Professional cleaning complements your care; suitable aids for use at home are discussed too.
Understanding deposits and cleaningPreventive care · Cologne
Professional teeth cleaning.Care that suits you.
We remove soft and hard deposits according to your individual needs — and show you what matters in your care at home.
Understanding deposits
What a toothbrush
cannot always reach on its own
A layer of bacteria and their components, known as biofilm, forms on teeth and between them. Daily cleaning removes much of it. Deposits can still remain in hard-to-reach areas or around existing restorations.
Professional teeth cleaning complements your own care. It includes removing soft and hard deposits and external staining, cleaning accessible spaces between teeth, and oral hygiene advice. Cleaning is adapted to natural teeth, fillings, ceramics and, where present, implants.
Professional cleaning replaces neither daily brushing nor necessary treatment for decay or periodontitis. Its aim is to provide a useful addition to your preventive care.
Your concerns in focus
What would you like to know about teeth cleaning?
Professional cleaning and your care at home are considered together.
AI-generated
What matters to you? Choose a concern and discover the relevant area in the model.
Mention sensitive areas beforehand
Exposed tooth necks or inflamed gums may be sensitive during cleaning. If anything becomes uncomfortable, breaks and the approach can be adjusted.
More about preparationThe interval depends on your needs
Oral care, inflammation and existing restorations influence the appropriate interval between appointments. After periodontal treatment, follow-up care has its own requirements.
Understanding individual needsA guide for your conversation, not a diagnosis or treatment recommendation. Your selection is not stored or transmitted. The illustration shows neither treatment nor a treatment result.
The teeth cleaning process
Make deposits visible.
Clean where needed.
Before cleaning, we make deposits visible. We select individual measures based on the findings, deposits and sensitivity.
One
Assessment & individual considerations
We discuss your oral care and take account of medical conditions, medication, allergies and existing restorations.
Two
Making biofilm visible
Disclosing dye makes deposits visible. This also shows you which areas need more attention during daily brushing.
Three
Air polishing
A carefully controlled jet of powder, water and air removes suitable soft deposits and staining. The technique and material are adapted to each surface.
Four
Removing hard deposits
Remaining tartar is removed where necessary using suitable instruments. Not every surface needs the same treatment.
Five
Checking & protection
We check the cleaned surfaces and refine the cleaning if needed. Suitable fluoride protection measures depend on your situation.
Six
Care & your next appointment
You receive practical advice on toothbrushes and cleaning between your teeth. We agree future intervals according to your risk.
Individual needs
How often is appropriate?
One fixed interval does not suit everyone. Inflammation, decay risk, oral care, smoking, certain medical conditions and the type of existing restorations can change your needs.
Even with well-maintained teeth, we assess the additional benefit that cleaning might offer. It is not clearly established whether regular additional cleaning prevents decay or gum disease better than usual preventive care in people with otherwise good oral health.
If periodontitis is already present
General professional cleaning alone is not enough. A systematic course of periodontal treatment and the supportive care that follows include additional assessments and, where necessary, treatment of deeper areas.
We explain whether the priority is prevention, active treatment or follow-up care after periodontitis.
Well prepared
Please tell us
about sensitive areas
Exposed tooth necks or inflamed gums may be sensitive during cleaning. Temporary irritation or gum bleeding is possible. Signal if anything becomes uncomfortable so we can adapt the approach and offer breaks.
Please tell us beforehand about relevant medical conditions, allergies and medication, especially blood thinners. If you have acute respiratory symptoms or other health changes, we will check whether the planned appointment and cleaning methods are appropriate. Do not stop taking medication on your own for this purpose.
After treatment, you receive advice tailored to the products actually used.
Veneers, aligners or implants?
Bring removable appliances to your appointment and tell us which restorations you have. We adapt cleaning accordingly and discuss care at margins, between teeth and in hard-to-reach areas.
External staining may be removable. However, professional cleaning does not change your natural tooth colour in the same way as Teeth whitening; existing ceramics will not become lighter with that either.
Costs & reimbursement
What does health insurance pay for?
General professional teeth cleaning is not a standard benefit of German statutory health insurance. It is billed privately under the German dental fee schedule (GOZ), particularly fee number 1040. The work involved and the number of teeth or restorations to be cleaned help determine the cost. You receive individual cost information or a treatment and cost plan beforehand.
Some statutory insurers offer voluntary contributions; supplementary insurance reimburses according to the contract. Ask about current requirements before your appointment. We cannot promise full reimbursement.
This is distinct from statutory benefits such as tartar removal and certain services within an approved course of periodontal treatment. Professional teeth cleaning is not a prerequisite that statutory patients automatically have to pay for privately to receive necessary periodontal treatment.
Would you like to discuss your individual preventive care needs? Book a professional teeth cleaning appointment
Useful information for your decision
Getting more from your cleaning appointment
Professional cleaning and your daily care go together.
Show us difficult areas
Mention spaces between teeth or restoration margins that you find hard to reach. Cleaning can then be combined with suitable aids for use at home.
Mention sensitivity beforehand
Exposed tooth necks or irritated gums may be sensitive. Telling us before we begin helps us agree on the approach and breaks if needed.
Discuss practical care
Ask us to show you suitable interdental brushes or other aids. Professional cleaning complements daily brushing but cannot replace it.
Choose individual intervals
One fixed schedule does not suit every mouth. Care, inflammation and existing restorations influence when further cleaning may be useful.
Distinguish treatment needs
General professional cleaning is not sufficient treatment for periodontitis. Supportive periodontal therapy also follows its own plan, tailored to the findings.
Frequently asked questions
About your preventive care appointment
Why are deposits disclosed before cleaning?
Disclosing dye makes soft bacterial plaque visible. This lets us plan cleaning precisely and show you areas that are hard to reach during daily care. Depending on the findings, suitable instruments or a jet of powder, water and air are used. Professional cleaning does not replace necessary treatment of diseased teeth or their supporting tissues.
Will my teeth become whiter?
When external deposits and staining are removed, the natural colour may become more visible again. This does not specifically lighten the tooth itself.
How long does cleaning take?
This depends on deposits, spaces between teeth, restorations and the advice you need. Ask about the time allowed for you when booking your appointment.
Do I automatically need two appointments a year?
No. We set the interval according to your oral health and risk, and review it over time. After periodontal treatment, follow-up care has its own requirements.
Is cleaning possible with sensitive teeth?
The approach can often be adapted. Please tell us beforehand about sensitive tooth necks or previous discomfort. It would not be appropriate to promise that you will feel nothing.
Why do I still need to clean between my teeth?
Biofilm keeps forming. A single professional cleaning therefore does not take over your daily care. We show you aids suited to your interdental spaces and restorations.
For your conversation at the practice
What you can tell us at your appointment.
A brief look back helps us understand your previous preventive care. If you know, please tell us about these three points:
-
Last check-up
When you last had a dental check-up. An approximate date is enough for the first conversation.
-
Last professional cleaning
Whether and approximately when you last had professional teeth cleaning. It may have taken place on a different day from your check-up.
-
Agreed intervals
Whether your previous practice had already discussed intervals for check-ups, cleaning or follow-up care with you.
Cannot remember exactly? That is fine. Feel free to bring any records you have. We will discuss your future preventive care together at the practice.
Preventive care in Cologne
A rhythm for your dental health.
We discuss which cleaning and care are appropriate for you.
Book a professional teeth cleaning appointmentPhone 0221 669 401 80 · Contact & directions