For healthier teeth and gums
Our hygienists are specially trained members of the dental team who focus chiefly on maintaining gum health. They play a vital role in caring for your teeth – scaling and polishing to remove harmful bacteria, demonstrating the best cleaning techniques and applying protective substances.
Gums support the teeth, so their condition is critical for establishing and maintaining a healthy mouth. It is also important that gums are sufficiently healthy before other types of dentistry can be carried out and recent research has also linked poor gum health with conditions such as strokes, respiratory disease and heart disease.
Gum disease is the chief cause of tooth loss in adults and triggered by dental plaque. This sticky substance needs to be removed regularly by brushing and cleaning between the teeth. Hygienists are trained to identify, remove and advise on the management of dental plaque to avoid potentially irreversible damage. They also give advice about your diet to help prevent gum disease and tooth decay.
If your gums look red or swollen or bleed when you brush or floss, you may have early indicators of gum problems (these can often be masked in patients who smoke). If we can spot and manage these issues promptly, the progression of disease may be slowed or halted, and problems later in life minimised.
Around 10-15% of the population suffers from the severe gum (periodontal) disease and, unfortunately, many of these cases are identified at a late stage, once much of the damage has already occurred. We help to avoid this happening by screening all patients for the early stages of the disease.
Combining regular hygienist appointments with an effective home care routine is the best way to maintain a healthier, fresher mouth and stronger teeth.
And don’t forget the younger members of your family – booking hygienist appointments for your children will help keep their teeth clean and teach them how to achieve a healthy mouth for life.
Call 01224 641773 to book an appointment with our friendly hygienists.
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