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Prophy paste

Also called: prophylaxis paste, polishing paste

A gritty paste used in a rubber cup to polish off stain.

Prophy paste is a polishing paste used with a rubber cup on a slow-speed handpiece. It comes in grits from fine to coarse; coarser pastes remove stain faster but also scratch more. Hygienists now polish selectively, using the least abrasive paste that works and only where stain remains.

How to spot it

  • Small single-use cups of paste, often color-coded or labeled fine, medium or coarse.

What it is used for

  • Use one cup per patient; the clinician picks the grit.

Safety and care

  • Avoid coarse paste on composite, porcelain, gold, titanium and areas with early decay.
  • Ask about allergies to ingredients or flavors as your office requires.

Related

Sources: Boyd LD, Mallonee LF, Wyche CJ. Wilkins' Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist, 14th ed. Jones & Bartlett, 2024