Dental Cleaning

Dental Hygiene

Good oral hygiene is essential for healthy living. A clean and healthy mouth, will lead to a better, healthier diet. This can be achieved through regular dental cleaning appointments with a dental hygienist.

What Does A Dental Hygienist Do?

An appointment with a dental hygienist is recommended, every six months to keep on top of your oral hygiene and ensure your teeth and gums remain healthy.  During your dental cleaning appointment,  the hygienist will scrape along and below the gum line to remove built-up plaque and tartar that can cause gum disease, cavities, bad breath and other problems. Then he or she will polish and floss your teeth, concluding your dental cleaning.

The hygienist will offer instructions for your overall oral health including advice on brushing and flossing. The hygienist may also offer additional treatments for the care of particular gum related issues.

Top Tips For Good Dental Hygiene

Brushing
Brushing at least twice a day with a medium/soft toothbrush is the best advice for all patients. By using a fluoridated toothpaste to mechanically clean the teeth and gums, will help prevent the build-up of materials that can cause plaque and calculus.

Flossing
The areas between the teeth are best cleaned using floss. Some patients can find the use of floss challenging. Your hygienist or dentist can demonstrate some simple handy tips to master the use of floss. Most dental professionals recommend waxed floss as it is kinder to the gums and areas between your teeth. There are many floss type products on the market such as; flossettes. Newer products have small floss lines harnessed between two plastic ends – like forks. These work in specific areas of your mouth that are particularly hard to reach areas.

Maintenance
Check you toothbrush for wear and tear. The upright bristle should stand tall and not flattened from over use. Some toothbrushes have an indicator present which will decrease over time (usually 6 months) with wear.

Electric toothbrushes are many and varied. Some come with built in timers, with ranges from 2 minutes to 4 minutes. Read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and, importantly discuss with your dentist or hygienist which type is best for you.

Diet
Dietary advice is also a key tenet of good oral health. Your hygienist and dentist may choose to discuss dietary choices with you. The avoidance of snacking between meals is a key point. For younger patients, this idea of leaving snacks to meal times only is hugely important, not just for tooth decay reasons, but also for general/systemic health.

Water and milk are the best drinks – particularly for growing children and adults. Water provides an essential component to reducing any acid attacks that can happen when you are eating. It helps to provide a natural solvent (and occasionally a buffer) to help reduce any harmful effects of dietary intake.

Habits
A regular check-up visit to your dentist and hygienist for a dental cleaning will help to identify good practice habits in oral hygiene. These visits also help to identify areas which may need improvement.

The time taken to brush teeth and maintain oral health may seem small – and it is – on average 4 minutes -that’s 2 minutes for the upper arch and 2 minutes for the lower arch. This average time frame helps to keep your teeth and gums feeling clean and ready for the next challenge.

Where you notice red gums or recurrent bleeding of gums, this can indicate areas that need urgent attention. Your dentist and dental hygienist will help find a way to improve and maintain good oral health.

All our practices offer dental cleaning services. Find your most convenient practice below.

MAKE AN ENQUIRY