Hygiene Treatments

Managing your oral health with hygiene appointments

Your hard work at home is mostly responsible for maintaining your oral health. However, regular visits to the dentist on top of seeing the hygienist will make sure that your mouth is problem-free. Your dentist and hygienist can track and access problems before they have a chance to cause any lasting damage to your smile.

Healthy gums mean a healthy smile

The health of your gums is essential to your smile. Gum disease is the most common cause for tooth loss so it’s incredibly important to keep your mouth bacteria free.

You can combat gum disease through regular brushing and interdental cleaning, which keeps your teeth clear of troublesome plaque and tartar deposits. However, there are some areas where regular cleaning can’t reach. A hygienist can thoroughly cleaning the whole mouth, keeping your teeth clear of bacteria and so maintaining your healthy gums.

What is gum disease?

Sugary foods in our diets lead to plaque build-ups on our teeth. These areas of plaque and tartar are ideal environments for bacteria. Where bacteria is present on the enamel, the surrounding gum tissue reacts and so becoming inflamed. This stage is called gingivitis and is treatable through cleaning away the plaque and so removing the bacteria.

Gum disease is an issue because the symptoms are easy to miss and if it is left untreated, it progresses to a more destructive condition – periodontitis. Unlike the first stage of gum disease, periodontitis isn’t curable. However, it can be managed through regular appointments with a hygienist or a periodontist.

With gum disease, prevention is the best cure. While the symptoms are hard to spot, your hygienist will be able to chart any signs of the disease and set out a treatment plan depending on the severity of the condition.

What does a hygiene appointment involve?

Most of your hygiene appointment is taken up with a thorough clean, called a ‘scale & polish’. This uses a focused jet of water to loosen stubborn tartar deposits. Using special tools, your hygienist will scale away the tartar, leaving the enamel free. Using a fine gritty paste, we will then polish off the teeth, leaving them feeling smooth and silky.

We will also provide help and advice on how best to keep your teeth clear of bacteria, including showing you the best flossing and interdental cleaning techniques.

If you have a more advanced condition of gum disease, we can provide full periodontal maintenance which involves a much deeper clean. Your hygienist will be best placed to advice on your treatment plan.