Dental Hygiene
Dental hygiene focuses on keeping your teeth and gums healthy by removing plaque and hardened tartar that cannot always be removed with brushing at home. At Cramond House Dental Practice, we can remove these deposits, polish the teeth, support your gum health and give practical advice to help you maintain good oral hygiene at home. Hygiene care also plays an important role in managing gum health and reducing the risk of future dental problems.
Benefits of Dental Hygiene Care
Removing plaque and tartar helps keep the gums healthy and can reduce the risk of gum disease and tooth decay. It can also help with bad breath when plaque or gum problems are contributing and can remove some staining from tea, coffee, smoking and certain foods.
These benefits can be especially valuable if you have bleeding gums, tartar build-up, bad breath, surface staining, braces, implants or areas that are difficult to reach.
We can also identify areas you are finding difficult to reach and give practical advice to make your home-care routine more effective.
Is a Hygiene Appointment for Everyone?
Preventive care is important for everyone, although what you need will depend on the health of your teeth and gums.
Good home care is essential: brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth every day. Hygiene appointments can support this by removing plaque and tartar from areas that are difficult to manage at home.
If your gums bleed, feel swollen or become sore, let us know. Early gum inflammation can often be reversed, while more advanced gum disease can usually be controlled with the right care.
What Happens at a Hygiene Appointment?
We will tailor your hygiene appointment to the health of your teeth and gums. It may include:
1) Gum Health Check:
We will check your teeth and gums, which may include a Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE).
2) Plaque and Tartar Removal:
We use ultrasonic and hand instruments to remove plaque and hardened tartar from around the teeth and gum line.
3) Polishing and Airflow:
We may polish the teeth or use Airflow to remove soft plaque and surface staining.
4) Fluoride or Local Anaesthetic:
Fluoride may be applied where needed, and local anaesthetic can be used for sensitive areas or deeper treatment.
5) Home-Care Advice:
We will show you how to improve brushing and cleaning between your teeth and recommend suitable products or techniques where helpful.
How to Reduce Plaque at Home
Brush twice a day for around two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, making sure you reach the front, back and biting surfaces of every tooth. Angle the brush gently towards the gum line, where plaque often collects.
Clean between your teeth once a day using interdental brushes or floss. We can show you which method and size works best for your mouth.
