Prophy paste is a type of dental paste containing mild abrasives. It is used for polishing teeth and removing plaque, calculus and staining. It is also used to prevent future dental caries. Prophy paste is short for prophylaxis paste. Prophylaxis is the term used to describe treatment given or action taken to prevent disease. Professional tooth polishing with prophy paste is carried out by a dental hygienist or general dentist, typically at the end of a scale and polish appointment.
Prophy pastes are categorised primarily by their abrasive grades. These are course, medium and fine.
Fine prophy paste has a smoother feel to coarse prophy paste which has a grittier texture. Fine paste or a mixture of fine and medium paste is often preferred for children.