Hygiene

Gum disease causes inflammation of the tissue that surrounds teeth and, if this is left untreated, it can cause pockets to develop and eventually leads to loosening of the teeth. The cleaner your teeth, the less likely you are to develop gum disease. An appointment with a dental hygienist can help to identify and treat gum disease.

Hygienists are fully trained members of the dental team who focus on preventing and treating gum disease by promoting good oral hygiene. Regularly visiting our dental hygienist in Charlton will help protect your overall well-being because poor gum health has been linked to more serious conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.

What Happens during a Hygienist Appointment

During a hygiene appointment, the health of your gums and teeth will be assessed. This will involve looking for any signs of swelling, inflammation or bleeding. The hygienist may also take measurements where the gum attaches to the tooth.

One of the main aspects of the hygienist’s role is to carry out a ‘scale and polish’, a thorough clean of the teeth to remove plaque and tartar build-up. Scaling (removing tartar) also makes it easier to keep teeth clean as there is no longer a rough surface to attract more plaque. This deep clean will be finished off with a polish to leave teeth shiny and smooth.

If gum disease has progressed beyond the early stages, a hygienist can remove deep tartar from the root surface. This is known as root planing (or debridement) and, as it involves deeper cleaning under the gum line, the procedure may require a local anaesthetic.

Hygienists also offer helpful hygiene advice and demonstrate how to keep your teeth clean and plaque-free with toothbrushes, interdental brushes and floss.