Dental Hygiene

Good dental hygiene underpins healthy teeth – without it, your gums cannot support your teeth, which can eventually lead to tooth loss in cases of severe neglect.

Regular dental hygiene appointments will ensure any problems with your gums (many of which can be symptomless) are dealt with early and the need for complex intervention is avoided.

What to expect from hygienist appointments

Hygiene appointments should be attended alongside dental appointments – unfortunately, many people in the UK substitute one for the other; a third of adults have never attended a hygienist appointment. Missing hygiene appointments means your teeth accumulate plaque and tartar build-up, which cause the onset of gum disease and if allowed to stick around for too long, expensive and lengthy treatment may be necessary to treat your gums and in the worst-case scenario, tooth extraction is the only course of action that can be taken.

During your hygiene appointments, we will examine your gums and the way your teeth fit into your tooth sockets, making sure your gums are providing a healthy home to your teeth. Your hygienist will perform a thorough clean and polish of your teeth to remove the harmful bacteria coating your teeth along the gum line – it is inevitable for adults to have a small amount of build-up. Those who have certain lifestyle factors like smoking and drinking lots of coffee and alcohol, for example, will have more build-up and we will advise that you visit more often if this is the case.

The benefits of regular hygiene appointments

• An opportunity to learn about your brushing habits, improve them and learn about your individual tooth structure.
• Regular routine examinations will keep your gums healthy and any potential problems will be flagged early.
• Hygienists are great teachers who can show you techniques and methods to improve your oral hygiene at home