What is dental hygiene therapy?
Regular dental hygiene and periodontal treatments are vital to help protect your oral health. This allows for prevention and early intervention, should any problems arise with your teeth or your gums.
Here at Infinity Dental Clinic, our team of expert Dentists are here to carry out a full clinical assessment and provide you with advice on maintaining your dental health or improving your smile. However big or small your dental concern, our team is here to help.
Scale and polish
Where necessary, a scale and polish may be carried out by your dental hygienist to remove any calculus (tartar) that has built up on the teeth. It is important that calculus is removed regularly, as it can result in gum disease, bone loss and even tooth loss. Gum disease is an avoidable condition, so regular hygienist visits and a good oral hygiene routine can help prevent gum disease. As calculus cannot be removed by brushing alone it is important that you attend regular hygiene visits to maintain your oral health. An airflow polishing treatment can also be carried out to remove even the most stubborn stains.
Professional periodontal cleaning
If you suffer from heavily stained teeth or gum disease, your Dentist may recommend a session with our Hygienist for a professional periodontal clean. Regular scaling of hard to reach areas by the Hygienist will significantly reduce the progression of gum disease. The Hygienist will also be able to remove any unwanted stains, polishing each tooth to leave them feeling fresh and clean.
The aim of regular dental hygiene therapy is to keep your gums and teeth healthy. A dental Hygienist is specially trained in cleaning and scaling the teeth. As such they are a vital member of the dental team.
Denplan
Denplan is our patient friendly Practice Membership Plan, which ensures you receive the highest quality of dental care at reasonable prices.
Find out more about our Dental PlanGum Disease
Despite gum disease being one of the world’s most wide-spread diseases, many patients are unaware they are affected.
It is preventable and can be easily treated when diagnosed early enough. Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria that collects at the gum line in the form of dental plaque. Therefore, plaque needs to be removed by brushing and cleaning between the teeth twice a day. If not properly cleaned, the gum starts to come away from the tooth, forming ‘pockets’ allowing the plaque to progresses down below the gum line. Over time, the bone that supports the teeth is destroyed, the gums shrink and eventually the teeth become loose and fall out.
Bacterial accumulation can result in these ‘pockets’ becoming deeper. This ultimately results in:
- Gum Recession
- Loose teeth
- Infections/ Abscesses
- Tooth loss
The dental Hygienist will be able to personalise your oral hygiene routine to suit your particular dental needs, giving you vital tips along the way. They will encourage and motivate you to look after and care for your teeth and gums.
If you have any questions regarding gum disease please contact us to have a complementary discussion with our treatment coordinator.
Do you have Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal gum disease is usually pain-free (sometimes called ‘the silent disease’) and so you may be unaware of it until your Dentist or Hygienist checks for it.
Here are some ‘red flags’ – symptoms you may notice that should raise concerns:
- Bleeding gums when brushing or even whilst eating
- Red, swollen gums
- Bad breath
- Spaces appearing between teeth
- Loose teeth or teeth moving position in the mouth
- Receding gums
- Sensitivity to cold or hot foods and drinks
Oral hygiene advice
At Infinity Dental Clinic, we understand prevention of gum disease and tooth decay are of vital importance. We will provide appropriate oral hygiene and diet advice to help maintain healthy and beautiful teeth.
ORAL HYGIENE:
- Brush twice a day for 2 minutes (morning and before bed) with fluoride toothpaste.
- Children up to the age of 7 years should be assisted with their brushing.
- Manual tooth brush: angle the bristles at 45̊ against the gum and gently sweep back and forth removing plaque. This should include inside and outside of the teeth, and the biting surfaces.
- Electric tooth brush: angle the bristles towards the gum. Slowly rotate the toothbrush back and forth to get into the gaps between the teeth – do not scrub. Work your way around all surfaces of the teeth.
- Floss or use Tepe brushes daily – for more information on technique ask one of our Hygienists, Melanie Joyce.
DIET:
- Eat a balanced diet limiting sugary or acidic snacks between meals.
- Avoid anything sugary or acidic for 1 hour before you go to bed and during the night – stick to water.
