Dental Hygiene

Great dental hygiene underpins a healthy set of bright and white teeth, ensuring your gums are in good shape to support each individual tooth.

Think of your gums as the foundation for your teeth – without this foundation, complications like gum disease can occur and jeopardise the health of your teeth, even if you have a strict brushing routine. Dental hygiene appointments play a preventative and educational part in keeping gum disease at bay and involve deep cleaning your teeth to remove layers of bacteria that can’t be removed at home. Dental hygienists are gum experts, whilst dentists are effectively GPs for your smile. It’s important not to substitute hygienist appointments for dentist appointments and vice versa – both work together to keep your smile in the best health it can be.

How dental hygiene appointments will benefit you

• Regular dental hygiene appointments are an investment into your future dental health. Reduce your chances of needing complex and costly treatment later in life by attending routine appointments now.
• Regular polishing and cleaning treatment will yield fresh breath.
• Protect your gums from plaque and tartar build-up.
• Plaque and tartar can be unsightly: feel confident about the health and look of your smile by having it removed.

What you can expect during your routine hygienist appointment

During your appointment, your hygienist will look for signs of gum disease, bleeding and inflammation and remove any lingering plaque and tartar that has accumulated on and around your teeth and gum line. We may also take X-rays of your teeth to make sure your supporting structures are strong.

Of course, it’s true that no two patients are the same. We may ask you to visit us more or less regularly than once a year, depending on the health of your gums and how susceptible you are to gum disease. Some people have a tooth structure that makes it more difficult to brush and will therefore need more regular cleanings, whilst pregnant women can suffer from gum health issues during and in the years after pregnancy.