Although you should brush and floss daily, removing all tartar and stains on your own is impossible. Professional dental cleaning or prophylaxis is a thorough tooth cleaning performed by a dentist or dental hygienist. If you have healthy teeth and gums and good oral hygiene, prophylaxis is enough to prevent gum disease. 

This simple method is also recommended if you have gingivitis. All the hard-to-reach areas in your mouth will be cleaned, including between your teeth and your gum line. This cleaning is important because it helps remove hardened plaque from your teeth, which is the leading cause of tooth decay and gum disease.

Scaling:  Plaque and tartar are scraped from your teeth using a hand-held scraper or ultrasonic device.

Root Planing: Using the same tools, the roots of the teeth are smoothed out.

Smoothing out the roots of your teeth helps control gum disease. Here's how it works: sugar sticks to your teeth when you eat or drink anything sugary, especially if you have any cracks or crevices. The sugar then breaks down into acids, which can help build plaque and tartar. However, if the roots are smooth, there is nowhere for the sugar to stick. This means it washes away easily when you brush and floss and doesn't have a chance to turn into harmful acids.