About hygienist services
Regular visits to your hygienist puts you in the best position for detecting any oral health problems before they become symptomatic or require treatment. Find out more below.
Why do I need to see a dental hygienist?
Regular visits to your hygienist puts you in the best position for detecting any oral health problems before they become symptomatic or require treatment.
Hygienists are trained to thoroughly clean your teeth and gums. Even the best electric toothbrush can’t reach every part of your mouth, and a hygienist can get to those hard-to-reach places to provide a professional deep clean. While you will leave your Cheltenham Spa Dental & Implant Clinic hygienist appointment with a fresher, cleaner smile, their job goes far beyond the superficial. A scale and polish will remove harmful plaque and deposits of tartar that, if left, can cause periodontal (gum) disease. By making a hygienist visit part of your dental care regime you can stay one step ahead and avoid becoming one of the 19 out of every 20 people who will suffer from gum disease during their life.
What can I expect from a hygienist appointment?
An appointment with your local Cheltenham hygienist will involve an initial oral hygiene check up, followed by a ‘scaling’ procedure. This is where any build up of harmful plaque and tartar is carefully and gently removed from the surface of your teeth and around the gum line using scalers and curettes, which are specially designed tools to check scrape away soft deposits. Hand-held mirrors help your hygienist to spot those missed areas and pinpoint plaque build up. Following a good clean and analysis of overall gum health, they will give your teeth a shine and polish with a gentle, quiet air polisher to remove any superficial stains. In cases where there is decay, a hygienist may apply fluoride or an antibacterial gel.
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Tackling tooth fissures
Tooth fissures are tiny pits and grooves that appear on the surface of teeth and are extremely common, especially on the back teeth and molars. It is easy to miss these narrow fissures with normal brushing, meaning that bacteria can build up in the gaps and lead to deterioration of your tooth. Your hygienist will be able to advise you if this is a treatment they recommend for your teeth.
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Complete oral care
Prevention is better than cure, and identifying early signs of tooth decay or gum inflammation enables your practitioner to address the problem swiftly. As well as a thorough scale and polish, your dental hygienist will also provide a complete check of your overall oral health. Your Cheltenham hygienist will get to know you and provide you with tailored, individual advice on how to maintain the best oral health, from diet to dental care.