What to do before seeing a dental hygienist
Regular visits to an oral health therapist can help prevent tartar buildup and keep your teeth a brighter shade of white....
Dental hygienist treatments
While daily brushing and flossing can help keep tooth decay and disease away, plaque and tartar build-up can still form in between and behind the teeth. Protect your teeth with annual dental hygienist appointments.
How we keep your gums healthy
During your appointment, our dental hygienists will thoroughly clean and polish your teeth and gums to remove any built-up plaque or tartar from those hard-to-reach places.
Need tips and tricks to get the most out of brushing and flossing? We can help with that too. Our dental hygienist can also address any early signs of gum disease, recession or any other gum issues to help prevent further deterioration of the gums.
What You Need to Know
During your appointment our dental hygienists will give your teeth and gums a thorough clean and polish with motorised tools to remove plaque and tartar.
Afterwards a gentle buffer is used on the surface of your teeth to make them shine. Most people don’t need pain relief during a clean and polish and experience only mild discomfort. If you have sensitive teeth, we can use numbing gel to keep you comfortable.
Treating gum disease
A clean and polish removes plaque and tartar from above the gumline. For plaque buildup below the gumline or advanced gum disease, scaling and root planing may be required. During scaling your dental hygienist will remove plaque from below the gumline and into the pockets of your gums. During root planing the tooth root is smoothed to help gums reattach to the tooth.
What to expect at your hygienist appointment
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Appointments take 45 – 60 minutes
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Dental clean and polish to remove plaque and tartar
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Oral health education, advice and tips
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Treatment for active gum infections
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Long-term treatment plan for gum disease
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a hygienist appointment take?
We recommend you set aside an hour for your first hygienists' appointment. This gives us enough time to perform an examination of your teeth and gums and remove any plaque and tartar, talk through any problems with your dental routine and our recommendations for treatment.
What if I need extra work done?
If you need any additional work, our friendly hygienists will talk to you about a treatment plan. This could include improvements to your at-home dental routine or booking you in for an additional appointment. If you need any additional work, we’ll talk through the process before booking you in. You’ll also know the full cost of any procedures before any work is done.
How often do I need to book a hygienist's appointment?
You should book a dental hygienist appointment at least once per year. Regular visits are important as they help you stay on top of any gum issues before they become bigger problems.
What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is an infection caused by the bacteria found in plaque that causes damage to the soft tissue of the gums. There are several stages of periodontal disease, including gingivitis, mild periodontitis and advanced periodontitis. Symptoms of gingivitis include puffy gums and bleeding when flossing. If plaque and tartar are left untreated, the condition can worsen into periodontitis. Periodontitis can cause receeding gums and bleeding when brushing and bone loss in the jaw.
How do I avoid developing gum disease?
Hygiene treatments can remove tartar from between and behind your teeth. An oral hygiene therapist can remove this built-up tartar with motorised tools. Regular brushing and flossing between teeth is also important for preventing gum disease.
