Dental Hygiene

For most patients, a hygienist visit is recommended every three to six months. The exact frequency depends on your individual oral health needs.

Patients with gum disease, dental implants, orthodontic appliances, or a tendency to build up plaque quickly may benefit from more frequent visits. Your dentist or hygienist will advise you on the most suitable interval for maintaining your oral health.

A hygienist visit is usually comfortable, thorough, and tailored to your individual needs. During your appointment, your hygienist may:

• Assess the health of your gums.
• Remove plaque and tartar from the teeth and along the gum line.
• Clean and polish your teeth.
• Provide advice on brushing, flossing, and interdental cleaning.
• Offer personalised guidance to help you maintain good oral hygiene at home.

The focus of hygienist care is prevention, education, and helping you feel confident in looking after your oral health.

Most patients find hygienist appointments very comfortable. Some sensitivity can occur, especially if there is inflammation of the gums, but our hygienists work gently and will adjust the treatment to your comfort level.

A typical appointment lasts between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on your individual needs and the level of cleaning required.

Yes. Hygienist treatments help remove surface staining caused by tea, coffee, red wine, and smoking, leaving your teeth cleaner and brighter.

Yes. Even with excellent home care, plaque and tartar can build up in areas that are hard to reach. Hygienist visits provide a deeper clean and help prevent gum disease.

In many cases, patients can book directly with the hygienist. However, regular dental check-ups are still important to monitor your overall oral health.

Gum disease is caused by plaque and bacteria building up around the gumline, triggering inflammation. Over time, this can cause the body’s immune system to attack the bone and tissues that support your teeth.

Aside from plaque, other factors that can cause gum disease include:

• Smoking – a number of studies have found that smokers are more prone to gum disease because of the decreased blood flow to the gums due to the destruction of the blood vessels. Reduced blood flow to the gums means that a lower level of white blood cells is delivered to the gums to help fight gum disease. Smokers can experience gum disease at an accelerated rate.
• Stress – when our immune system is stressed, it’s difficult to fight off the bacteria that cause gum disease.
• Diabetes – diabetics are more prone to gum disease, also due to compromised blood flow to the gums.

If left untreated, gum disease can lead to bone loss and, eventually, tooth loss. Gum disease can develop without pain.

Gum disease falls into two categories:

• Gingivitis – poor cleaning techniques and a lack of brushing can result in bacterial growth which causes swelling (inflammation) and bleeding of the gums.
• Periodontal disease – this occurs when gingivitis has been left untreated and all the tissues become affected.
  As the condition gets worse, the bone of the jaw is lost and the teeth become loose and eventually fall out or have to be removed. If you think you may have gum disease, visit your dentist as soon as possible – more teeth are lost through periodontal disease than tooth decay but if caught early enough, your tooth can be saved.

• Red, swollen or tender gums.
• Bleeding when you brush, floss or even eat.
• Your gums start to recede or pull away from the teeth (your teeth may look longer than they used to).
• Your teeth become loose.
• Pus between your gums and teeth.
• Sores in your mouth.
• Bad breath.
• You have noticed a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite.