I've seen a bunch of cheap ultrasonic scalers on Amazon for like 30-40€ and I'm tempted to try one at home instead of paying 150€ at the dentist every year. Are they actually effective or is it just marketing? Is there a risk of damaging the enamel if you use it wrong?
Cheap models don't hold a candle to professional scaling - the equipment at the dentist's is way more powerful and precise. The real risk isn't so much your enamel (which is pretty solid) as your gums and the tooth root if you've got recession; used wrong, it can really damage them. If you genuinely want to save money, focus on solid daily hygiene instead (electric toothbrush, floss, mouthwash) and maybe professional cleanings less often. Those 30-40€ gadgets on Amazon are mostly just marketing for people chasing a quick fix - honestly, you won't get far with that stuff.
The 30-40€ devices definitely don't do the same job as professional scaling, that's true, but you also shouldn't think it's completely useless if you use it regularly for maintenance. The real issue is more that you risk not reaching under the gums and between the teeth the way a professional would, so you'll just remove the visible tartar on the surface. And honestly, enamel isn't your main concern - it's more your gums that can take a beating if you press too hard or too long in the same spot.
I tested one of these things for about 35€ a few months and honestly it's not the same as professional cleaning at all - it mostly removes the visible surface stuff but not the tartar that's really built up under the gum line. There's a risk of damaging your enamel if you press too hard or leave it in the same spot too long, so you really gotta go easy and not do it every day. In my opinion it's good maintenance between professional cleanings at the dentist to keep your teeth cleaner, but you can't really replace an actual pro session with this - your gums will remind you sooner or later if you skip too many appointments.
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