Which statement about selective polishing is correct?

Selective polishing primarily aims to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the teeth by minimizing the removal of tooth structure while effectively cleaning only specific areas that require attention, such as those with stains or plaque accumulation. Specifically, when considering the process of selective polishing, it is important to know that an abrasive agent is used to remove superficial stains and biofilm. However, even with a selective approach, there is a slight removal of tooth material, including enamel, during the polishing process.

While a key advantage of selective polishing is that it focuses on areas that show visible stains rather than the entire tooth surface, it's essential to understand that this can lead to a small loss of fluoride-rich enamel. This understanding underlines the balance that dental professionals must maintain between achieving a clean, aesthetically pleasing result and preserving tooth structure as much as possible. Therefore, this is why the statement about the abrasive agent removing a small amount of fluoride-rich enamel is accurate when discussing the implications of selective polishing in dental practice.