Removal of plaque and tartar from around and below the gumline is called?

• A. Subgingival curettage
• B. Perioceutics
• C. Scaling
• D. Root planing

Answer: (C)

Removing plaque and tartar from around and below the gumline is called scaling. Scaling cleans tooth surfaces of calculus (tartar) that accumulate both above and below the gumline, helping to disrupt the bacterial biofilm that drives periodontal disease. It’s usually done with hand instruments or ultrasonic scalers, addressing deposits on the crown and the root surfaces. Subgingival curettage targets diseased pocket tissue rather than the tooth surface deposits, so it’s not the same procedure. Root planing follows scaling and focuses on smoothing the root surface to remove remaining irregularities and embedded deposits to promote healing. Perioceutics isn’t a recognized cleaning procedure. So scaling is the correct term for removing plaque and tartar around and below the gumline.