What is Guided Biofilm Therapy?

GBT is a hygiene protocol developed by the Swiss company EMS. Instead of scaling every tooth first, the biofilm (plaque) is made visible with a disclosing dye and removed with warm water and a fine erythritol powder (AIRFLOW). Only the hardened tartar that remains is then scaled, on gentle ultrasonic settings, and the result is checked by disclosing again.

How is GBT different from a scale and polish?

A scale and polish scales every tooth with an ultrasonic or hand scaler, then polishes with an abrasive paste. GBT removes the biofilm first with AIRFLOW - reaching between teeth and just under the gumline - so scaling is limited to where tartar actually remains. It uses a disclosing dye to show you where plaque hides, and re-checks at the end. Both are valid hygiene treatments; GBT is the more thorough and, most patients find, the more comfortable of the two.

How much does GBT cost?

£110 per GBT appointment. A standard hygiene appointment is £65. Practice Plans C and D include GBT visits (two or four a year) in the monthly fee.

Is GBT suitable if I have implants, crowns, veneers or braces?

Yes - that is one of its main advantages. The erythritol powder is minimally abrasive and safe on enamel, dentine, white fillings, crowns and veneers, and the protocol is designed to clean around implants and orthodontic brackets or aligner attachments without scratching them, which metal scalers can.

Most patients find it noticeably more comfortable than a traditional scale and polish: the AIRFLOW uses warm water, and scaling is limited to the tartar left after the airflow, on gentle settings. If you are nervous or have sensitive teeth, tell the hygienist and the appointment is paced around you.

Does GBT remove stains?

Surface stains from coffee, tea, red wine and smoking are lifted during the AIRFLOW step, so a brighter-looking result is a normal by-product. It does not change the natural colour of teeth - that is what whitening is for.

How often should I have GBT?

It depends on your gum health and how quickly plaque and tartar build up for you. The hygienist sets your recall interval at the end of the appointment - commonly every three to six months.

How do I book an appointment?

You can book online through our website, or call the practice on 0131 228 2442. We are open until 8pm Monday to Thursday, and until 5pm on Friday.

EMS AIRFLOW Guided Biofilm Therapy at City Dental Care, Edinburgh

GBT Guided Biofilm Therapy in Edinburgh

Guided Biofilm Therapy is the hygiene protocol developed by EMS in Switzerland — and a different way of thinking about a “clean”. Instead of scraping every tooth and polishing afterwards, it removes the biofilm — the living bacterial film that causes gum disease and decay — first, shows you where it was, and only then scales the tartar that's genuinely left. City Dental Care runs the full EMS AIRFLOW system on Earl Grey Street and is listed on the official GBT clinic finder.

Transparent pricing

GBT appointment £110Standard hygiene appointment £65

Practice Plans C and D include two or four GBT visits a year in the monthly fee.

Book GBT GBT vs scale and polish — what's the difference?

Why Biofilm First?

Tartar is simply biofilm that has hardened. Gum disease and decay are driven by the living film, not the rock — so the protocol targets the cause. Removing biofilm thoroughly with AIRFLOW means far less scaling is needed afterwards, and making it visible with a disclosing dye means you leave knowing exactly where to brush better. A scale and polish cleans your teeth; GBT also changes what happens to them between visits.

The Eight Steps

Assessment

Gums and teeth are checked and pocket depths recorded, so the clean is planned for you rather than routine.

Disclosing

A harmless dye stains the biofilm so you can see exactly where plaque hides - and the hygienist has a map instead of guesswork.

Motivation

Brushing and cleaning advice based on what the dye just showed, not a generic leaflet. This is where long-term change happens.

AIRFLOW

Warm water and a fine erythritol powder remove biofilm and surface stains from teeth, gums, tongue, between teeth and just under the gumline.

PERIOFLOW

A dedicated nozzle for deeper gum pockets, where gum disease actually progresses.

PIEZON ultrasonic

Only the tartar left after the airflow is scaled, on gentle 'no pain' settings - minutes of targeted scaling instead of a whole mouth of it.

Check

The dye is applied again to confirm every trace of biofilm is gone. The result is verified, not assumed.

Recall

Your next interval is set by your own risk, not a calendar.

What Sets GBT Apart from a Scale and Polish

It's guided. Disclosing turns an invisible problem into a visible one — for you and for the hygienist. It's the step that changes habits.
It's gentler on the tooth. Polishing paste is abrasive and can't reach between teeth; erythritol powder is minimally abrasive and safe on enamel, dentine, white fillings, crowns and veneers.
It's implant- and brace-safe. Metal scalers can scratch implant surfaces, which then harbour bacteria. The GBT protocol cleans around implants, brackets and aligner attachments without damaging them — which is why we use it for implant maintenance.
It's more comfortable. Warm water, minimal scraping and gentle ultrasonic settings — most patients, nervous ones included, find it noticeably easier.
Stains come off as a by-product. Coffee, tea, wine and smoking stains lift during the AIRFLOW step.
The result is checked. Re-disclosing at the end is a quality control the traditional appointment doesn't have.

A standard hygiene appointment (£65) remains a good, effective clean and we offer both. GBT costs more because it does more: a longer appointment with more steps, single-use nozzles and powder for the EMS system, and a team trained in the protocol.

Book a GBT Appointment Include GBT in a Practice Plan

Guided Biofilm Therapy

GBT Guided Biofilm Therapy in Edinburgh

Why Biofilm First?