Dental HygieneDental Hygiene

Hygienists are the are unsung heroes of your oral health and play a pivotal role in keeping your gums healthy.

They are gum expertise who work together with your dentist to protect your smile. Worryingly, 32% of adults in the U.K are yet to attend a hygienist appointment, suggesting the significance of these routine appointments is not yet fully understood in our society. Visiting the hygienist at least once a year should be a priority for anyone who wants to maintain healthy gums for life.

Why is gum health so important?

The role your gums play is a pivotal one – without healthy gums, you cannot hope to have healthy teeth. Think of your gums as individual pocket homes your teeth live in. Once these homes become inflamed through the buildup of bacteria (plaque and tartar) your teeth are evicted, as your gums recede and cease to provide healthy support.

The good news is, you can make sure inflammation doesn’t reach an advanced stage (known as periodontitis) by having your smile professionally cleaned by a hygienist and making changes to your lifestyle. Smoking, sugary drinks and snacks and excessive alcohol consumption greatly increase your risk of gum disease; if you need support in making some changes in the interests of your gum health, we’re here to help point you in the right direction. Our friendly team are here to encourage and support you in your efforts to improve the health of your smile.

What should I expect during a hygienist appointment?

Hygienists will examine your teeth and gums and remove surface staining like plaque and tartar which you can’t remove at home – this can be done via a traditional scale and polish or via Airflow Tooth Polishing. Regular hygienist appointments will ensure plaque buildup isn’t allowed to progress to an advanced level where it can cause issues like periodontitis and tooth loss. Your hygienist also plays an important educational role, offering advice on how better to brush and floss depending on your unique tooth structure – no two smiles are the same!

What makes regular visits to the hygienist so great?

• Fresh breath: as well as being quite unsightly, plaque can also cause bad breath. Regular cleaning by the hygienist will ensure that this is removed, keeping the odour of plaque at bay and restoring your confidence.
• Learn about your smile: your hygienist can offer important advice such as how to brush up (pardon the pun!) on your brushing and flossing technique. As each person’s tooth structure is different, what’s required for one person might be different for another.
• An investment into your smile and health: routine appointments are essential if you want to avoid the need for serious intervention later in life. Not only is bad oral hygiene associated with tooth loss, but it’s also linked to problems with your wider health including heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
• State-of-the-art Airflow Tooth Polishing at Westbridge Dental Practice: our highly effective Airflow Tooth Polishing system removes plaque buildup and surface staining and offers patients a less invasive alternative to a scale and polish.

How to brush