Do I need a professional teeth cleaning?
pu-li-TSI-a — four syllables, stress on third. The 'zi' sounds like 'ts'.
Ask at check-up time. Most Italian dental hygienists recommend cleaning every 6 months.
'Fare la pulizia dei denti' (to do the teeth cleaning) is the colloquial phrase for professional scaling. Also called 'igiene professionale' or 'detartrasi' (scaling). The hygienist ('igienista dentale') removes tartar ('tartaro') and polishes teeth ('lucidatura'). In Italian studios, the hygienist works separately from the dentist.
Quando devo fare la pulizia dei denti?
When do I need to have my teeth cleaned?
Ask for the recommended frequency — usually every 6-12 months
La pulizia fa male?
Does cleaning hurt?
It can be uncomfortable with sensitive gums or lots of tartar
Ho molto tartaro da togliere?
Do I have a lot of tartar to remove?
Good question to assess gum health and hygiene habits
The 'igienista dentale' in Italy has a three-year university degree ('laurea triennale') and is a regulated health professional. They operate independently within the dental studio. Professional teeth cleaning in Italy involves ultrasonic scaling ('detartrasi') and hand scaling followed by polishing. The session lasts 30-60 minutes and typically costs €60-120.