Treatments - General Dentistry - Hygienist

Clean teeth and healthy gums are not just an important part of how your teeth and smile look; they are also the cornerstone of good dental health.

In the UK gum disease accounts for around 75% of the teeth lost in adults and yet for the majority of patients it is easy to prevent tooth loss with regular dental hygienist treatment.

With proper dental care, good diet and careful oral hygiene, most patients can keep their natural teeth for the whole of their life.

To help our patients maintain clean teeth, healthy gums and good oral health, our patients can see our hygienist as often as necessary, usually every six months to a year, depending on their needs.

Children too can see our hygienist for help and encouragement in looking after their teeth, hopefully avoiding such problems starting. They will be taught the correct way to clean their teeth and therefore pick up good healthy habits that will apply for the rest of their lives.

 

Why is it so important?

Plaque is a soft, sticky substance that builds on your teeth. It is mostly made up of bacteria.

The bacteria in plaque feed on sugar from food and drink, producing acids as a waste product. The acids attack the teeth by dissolving the minerals in the tooth surface. If this happens too often, tooth decay results.

And, if plaque is allowed to build up, the bacteria in it can cause gum disease, making your gums sore and infected. If left untreated this may lead to destruction of the supporting tissues and teeth become mobile and eventually lost.

Tartar (also known as calculus), formed by hardened plaque, helps plaque to gather and makes it harder to remove when you brush.

You can't remove tartar by just brushing your teeth, but a hygienist can carefully remove it using special instruments – this is known as scaling.

A hygienist can also polish your teeth. This removes stains from coffee, tea, cigarettes or red wine, and it makes it more difficult for plaque to stick to your teeth.

If you clean your teeth thoroughly at home, including regularly in between your teeth, you should be able to reduce the amount of plaque and calculus that builds up. This will improve your gum health and reduce the amount of cleaning required by the hygienist.