DENTAL HYGIENE

Attending regular hygiene visits is the best way to maintain your teeth and gums. In the UK, gum disease affects around 90% of adults in varying degrees. Typical symptoms involve swollen and red gums which bleed, with more severe symptoms involving gum recession and eventual tooth loss. Regular visits with the dental hygienist will allow them to keep a close eye on your risk of developing gum disease and provide you with the treatment and tools to optimise you gum health.

A routine hygiene visit includes:

  • Asking you some general health questions and if you have any dental pain/issues

  • Assessment of gum health around each individual tooth

  • Scaling of the teeth to remove any plaque or tartar build-up in and around the teeth especially those hard to reach areas your toothbrush may miss

  • Polish your teeth to remove any superficial stains

  • Detailed oral hygiene instructions to help you optimise your toothbrushing at home and maintain your gum health

benefits of a hygiene visit:

  • Helps maintain good oral health and optimal gum health leaving teeth teeth smooth and tartar-free

  • Preventative approach - allows clinicians to detect gum disease at an early stage where it is reversible and provide you with the treatment and tools to maintain your gum health

  • Aids in longevity of restorations and dental implants

  • Cost-effective - reduces future complications and need for treatment if dental issues progress

  • Your chance to ask questions

  • Promotes a brighter and healthier smile

direct access hygiene visit:

Non-registered patients can access our hygiene services through a Direct Access appointment. This allows you to continue maintaining your gum health at the required intervals recommended and maintain your gum health, without worrying about finding a practice to register with.

  • Our clinicians recommend regular visits to the hygienist in order to maintain your gum health. The recall time can vary depending on your clinical needs and personal desire to visit the hygienist for a clean.

    If you are starting of finishing complex treatment such as dental implants, your dentist may recommend booking with the hygienist for a thorough clean and maintenance.

  • Non-registered patients can access our hygiene services via a Direct Access appointment. This allows you to access the same services and benefits of a hygiene visit. Call us to book today

  • The scaling procedure is generally pain-free. Our hygienists use hand and mechanical instruments which produce high-speed vibrations that can disrupt the bacteria and tartar on your tooth surface and around your gums. There may be discomfort felt for the pressure and feeling of these vibrations, or from removing tartar from deep pockets in your gums.

    Our hygienists will do everything possible to minimise any discomfort during your treatment and can provide pain-relieving options such as local anaesthetic if you require it. If you are a nervous patient, click here to read how we manage nervous patients at Whitefield Dental

    • Book in with the hygienist at your required recommended intervals.

    • Brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes - last thing before bed and at another time during the day.

    • If using a manual tooth brush, brush using circular motions aiming 45 degrees towards your gums where they meet your teeth.

    • Use an electric toothbrush for the most effective clean with minimal effort.

    • Use fluoride toothpaste with a pea-sized amount and spitting - not rinsing - after brushing.

    • Use interdental brushes or floss before you brush your teeth.

    • Brush your tongue! Your tongue can harbour bacteria and contribute to bad breath.