A dental hygienist looks after the part of your mouth that holds your teeth in place: the gums and the bone beneath them. Regular hygiene visits keep plaque and tartar under control, lower the risk of decay and gum disease, and leave your teeth feeling properly clean. Our hygienists are trained in both preventing gum disease and treating it.
What happens at a hygiene visit
- A check of your gums, measuring any pockets between the gum and the tooth and noting where they bleed
- Removal of tartar (hardened plaque) above and below the gum line, by hand or with an ultrasonic scaler
- A polish to lift surface stains from tea, coffee, red wine and tobacco
- Advice you can use: which brush, which size of interdental brush for which gap, and where your own cleaning is missing
If your gums are sore, the area can be numbed first. Tell them how it feels as they go.
Why it matters
Gum disease is the commonest reason adults lose teeth, and in its early stage it does not hurt. The signs are gums that bleed when you brush, bad breath that keeps coming back and, later, teeth that look longer or feel loose. Caught early, it is reversed by cleaning, at the surgery and at home. Left alone, it damages the bone around the teeth, and that damage does not grow back.
How often to come
That depends on your mouth. Someone with healthy gums may need a visit once or twice a year. Someone being treated for gum disease, wearing braces or living with diabetes may be advised to come every three or four months. Your hygienist will suggest an interval and tell you why.
Common questions
Will it hurt? Most people find it comfortable. Inflamed gums can be tender, and that eases as they heal over the following visits.
My gums bleed, so should I brush them less? No. Bleeding usually means plaque has been left along the gum line, and gentle, thorough brushing is what stops it.
Does a scale and polish whiten teeth? It removes surface stains, so teeth often look brighter. It does not change their natural shade. For that, see teeth whitening.
I have not had a check-up recently. Where do I start? With a new patient exam, so that the dentist and the hygienist are working from the same picture.
