Oral hygiene at our practice
The dental professionals focus on dental hygiene at our practice and will advise you on the latest techniques for caring for your teeth and gums and will help you develop a daily routine to keep your oral health at the highest standards.
From your first visit, our experienced team will spend time discussing your oral hygiene needs, recommending products and developing a personal program to keep your teeth and gums healthy for life.
As well as check-ups with your dentist, where suitable, we recommend regular visits to our oral hygienist to guarantee your teeth and gums are as healthy as possible.
What does a hygienist do?
A dental hygienist is an essential member of a dental health team. Our hygienist is a highly trained dental professional who excels in:
- basic scale and cleans (routine dental care)
- deeper tooth cleaning (treatment of periodontal disease)
- X-rays
- advice on best toothbrushes, toothpaste and other oral hygiene products to suit your specific needs.
Preventive Care
Dental hygiene at home
There are many things that you can do yourself for a life-long healthy smile and great oral hygiene. Here are our recommendations:
- Brush your teeth twice a day, after breakfast and before going to bed.
- Use fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss once a day.
- See your dentist for regular check-ups so that any early problems can be treated before major, expensive treatments are needed.
Don’t snack before bedtime. Food left on the teeth overnight is more likely to cause cavities.
Avoid foods and drinks that are high in sugar, especially soft drink, sweet cereal, desserts, and sticky foods.
Why is oral hygiene important
If you look after your oral hygiene you can help avoid problems such as:
- tooth decay
- gum disease
- serious problems with your general health (more information below)
Tooth decay
Tooth decay is the general name we give the damage that is done when the bacteria that occurs naturally in your mouth create acid that erodes your tooth. This can lead to a pain, infection and even the loss of the tooth.
If the bacteria are not cleaned and flossed away effectively, they produce acids which erode your tooth enamel over time, causing decay. Regular visits to your hygienist and dentist can help avoid this and catch any damage from decay before further treatment is needed.
Gum disease
Gum disease is an inflammation of the gum line that can also affect the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth if left untreated. There are three stages of gum disease — gingivitis, periodontitis and advanced periodontitis.
Gum disease can be painless, so it is important to keep an eye on symptoms such as bleeding or inflamed gums, bad breath, pain when chewing or loose teeth. Without regular visits to your dentist or hygienist, you may not know that you have gum disease until it’s in the more advanced stages. Once it is past the earliest stages, professional treatment from your dentist or hygienist is the only way to arrest gum disease.
Healthy mouth, healthy body
There is a link between good oral hygiene and other health factors. Research had linked gum disease and other dental infections to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, asthma and osteoporosis.
