What does a dentist clean if there's no tartar?

[ThunderGarlic]

After having a tooth extracted in December and several old fillings replaced my dentist mentioned that he would clean my teeth during the final appointment for this course of treatment next week.

I don't get tartar and I have no gum disease. (Google has no results for "why don't I get tartar?" so no obvious explanation.) I guess my decayed teeth were bad from eating sweets as a kid and successively larger fillings since the age of 12.

So what actually happens during a dentist clean apart from removing tartar and addressing bleeding gums? I thought it could be general stain removal / whitening. But I guess I would be charged more if that were the case and no one has mentioned an extra fee.

I've never had a dentist clean my teeth before or seen a hygienist as no dentist has ever suggested it.

What actually happens?

The answer is that they blast the surface of the teeth with a stronger version of the water pik, do the same with a very fine chalk spray, rinse with water again, and then try to sell you a £300+ "whitening system"...

It was definitely worth doing as my teeth are now several shades whiter and most of the little brown dots on the remaining back molars have actually gone. I always assumed they were old traces of decay just like I assumed my teeth were a bit yellowed because I'm over 40, but looks like much of it was tea/coffee/wine stains all along.

Don't think I'll bother with the expensive extra whitening thing, though.