Get in touch with our dental hygienist in London!
Why you should see a dental hygienist in London
Most people know that they should brush their teeth with toothpaste at least twice a day to keep their teeth healthy, but do they know what exactly will happen if they don’t? The answer is that food debris in the mouth attracts bacteria, which process the sugars left on your teeth and produce an acid that can break down tooth enamel and irritate the gums.
The longer this goes unchecked, the more a coating of plaque will build up on your teeth and around the gumline. This can harden into calculus over time, which is even more difficult to remove without professional dental cleaning. The more bacteria and plaque are present, the more likely they will erode the teeth and spread under the gumline, leading to gum disease.
This is why dentists and dental hygienists in London and around the world will advise patients to brush their teeth thoroughly morning and night – and floss between their teeth, too – to remove deposits on their teeth and prevent bacteria from building up.
However, while a good daily brushing routine should keep plaque and calculus at bay, professional teeth cleaning by a trained dental hygienist is the best way to ensure your teeth and gums are completely clean. They can reach the parts of your teeth and gums that you might be missing with your toothbrush and floss, helping to avoid cavities and gum disease.
Just as dentists advise patients to have their teeth routinely checked at least once a year, it’s also recommended to visit a dental hygienist for a ‘scale and polish’ treatment at least once every 6 months to a year. You may also be expected to have your teeth professionally cleaned before undergoing dental treatment, such as implants or orthodontics.
What happens at a dental hygienist appointment?
When you come to Finsbury Dental Care for a dental hygienist visit, one of our qualified dental hygienists will first examine your teeth and gums to look for any obvious signs of plaque or calculus on the teeth and inflammation or bleeding of the gums.
They will then probe the gumline around each tooth to perform a periodontal examination, checking how far it can go under the gum. This can cause some discomfort if you have a pocket under the gum where bacteria has been building up, but the point of this test is to identify areas with pockets so they can be addressed.
Each part of your mouth will be given a score concerning the presence of calculus, bleeding after probing, or pockets larger than 3.5mm. The dental hygienist can then proceed to remove plaque and calculus from your teeth using a scaler, and finish by polishing your clean teeth.
At Finsbury Dental Care, we offer a standard hygiene treatment for £95, and an enhanced hygiene treatment for £139 that includes an air polish treatment. This uses advanced equipment to gently remove surface stains with a non-abrasive mix of air, water, and sodium bicarbonate powder for immediately cleaner and whiter teeth.
Finally, when your teeth have been scaled and polished, the dental hygienist will discuss the problem areas they found during these processes and explain what you can do to prevent these issues from happening again. They will provide tailored advice on techniques to follow, and can refer you to a dentist if there are cavity concerns or a periodontist if severe gum disease is present.
What are the benefits of dental hygiene treatment?
Dental hygiene treatments can be beneficial for every dental patient, because dental hygienists in London have the technology to clean teeth much more comprehensively than you can by yourself, reaching areas that you might find harder to reach.
Not only does getting your teeth and gums professionally cleaned help to reduce your risk of developing harmful gum disease and tooth decay, but the high success rate of the deep cleaning treatment can reveal dramatic results in just one appointment.
With effective removal of plaque and lightening of surface discolouration, polished teeth feel much cleaner and smoother, and look much healthier, too. Not only will your natural smile be enhanced, but eliminating bacteria build-up can also prevent bad breath – making you feel more confident in your smile and everyday life.
Personalised oral hygiene advice from an expert can also be invaluable, helping you to change your habits to maintain your oral health as much as possible at home. The better you take care of your teeth, the less likely you are to need more expensive treatments in the future for oral health problems – saving you money over time!
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If your teeth are otherwise healthy but feeling and looking worse for wear thanks to ongoing plaque build-up, it’s best to book a dental hygienist appointment for a professional cleaning treatment. You don’t have to see a dentist first, though you should still be keeping up with routine check-ups – direct access means you can book directly with our dental hygienists.
At Finsbury Dental Care, we currently have two dedicated dental hygienists on our team – Nadia Khan (GDC No. 268179) and Evie Dawson (GDC No. 115719). Regulated by the General Dental Council (GDC), our talented hygienists focus on maintaining tooth and gum health to protect your overall health, offering a stress-free environment and non-judgemental advice.
So, whether you’re an existing patient returning to our practice or would like to schedule a private scale and polish in London, please get in touch to arrange your dental hygiene visit. Call 020 7638 6556, email [email protected], or fill out the contact form at the bottom of the page to start your journey towards sparkling clean teeth today.
DENTAL HYGIENIST LONDON – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the cause of bad breath?
Bad breath is a condition known as halitosis, where the main symptom is a consistent foul odour in the mouth that may even be strong enough for other people around to smell it. Other symptoms include dry mouth, a built-up coating on the tongue and teeth, thick saliva, and a constant bad taste – but what causes all of this?
In some cases, bad breath can be a side effect of other health conditions, such as periodontitis (gum infection) or acid reflux, or result from dry mouth caused by smoking, alcohol, medication, or stress. However, the most common cause of bad breath is simply poor oral hygiene.
If you don’t clean your teeth regularly, bacteria can build up in your mouth and cause multiple problems, including halitosis and gum disease. The multiplying bacteria produce sulphur compounds as they break down proteins from food debris, causing the unpleasant smell and taste.
This is one of many reasons why it’s so important to attend regular check-ups with your dentist and dental hygienist to make sure your teeth are clean and healthy.
Our dental hygienist in London can professionally deep clean your teeth to get rid of any build-up causing a bad smell, and teach you how to brush your teeth and clean your tongue properly to prevent it from building up again.
How does gum disease affect dental hygiene?
Gum disease, or gingivitis, is an infection of the soft tissue of the gums around the teeth. It’s caused by plaque, which forms when bacteria in the mouth interact with starches and sugars from food and drink, then builds up if you don’t brush it away.
When left to build up, plaque can harden into tartar, coating the teeth and pushing under the gum line. This irritates the gums, causing inflammation and sensitivity, which can lead to bleeding gums. If left untreated, this can worsen and lead to periodontitis.
This is a serious stage of gum disease, where deep pockets between the teeth and gums become filled with bacteria that can damage teeth, gum tissue, and underlying bone.
Without treatment, teeth could decay and fall out, and the bacteria could enter the bloodstream and negatively affect other parts of the body. This doesn’t just affect dental health, but overall health, too – including the heart and lungs.
While gum disease has a negative impact on dental hygiene, maintaining good dental hygiene in the first instance is the key to preventing gum disease from developing.
This includes brushing your teeth every day, visiting your dentist at least once a year, and getting your teeth professionally cleaned at least once or twice a year – see our dental hygienist in London to help avoid gum disease.
How can you reduce the risk of oral cancer?
Gum disease, or gingivitis, is an infection of the soft tissue of the gums around the teeth. It’s caused by plaque, which forms when bacteria in the mouth interact with starches and sugars from food and drink, then builds up if you don’t brush it away.
When left to build up, plaque can harden into tartar, coating the teeth and pushing under the gum line. This irritates the gums, causing inflammation and sensitivity, which can lead to bleeding gums. If left untreated, this can worsen and lead to periodontitis.
This is a serious stage of gum disease, where deep pockets between the teeth and gums become filled with bacteria that can damage teeth, gum tissue, and underlying bone.
Without treatment, teeth could decay and fall out, and the bacteria could enter the bloodstream and negatively affect other parts of the body.
There are many types of oral cancer that can develop in the tissues of the tongue, gums, and throat, which include mouth cancer and throat cancer.
There are also various causes of oral cancer, which can’t all be avoided – but if you want to reduce your risk of oral cancer, there are some risk factors you can steer away from:
- Poor nutrition and lack of exercise – eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise will strengthen your body and reduce the risk of all kinds of diseases, not just cancer.
- Alcohol and tobacco – drinking alcohol and chewing or smoking tobacco products are notorious bad habits for causing many health problems, and are leading causes of oral cancers.
- UV radiation – overexposure to the sun or UV lights can cause skin cancer, which includes the skin on the lips.
- HPV – human papillomavirus is a sexually transmitted infection that can lead to oral cancer, but vaccines are available.
Of course, as oral cancer is typically cancer of the oral cavity, the best way to reduce the risk of this developing is to practice good oral hygiene.
Keeping your teeth clean and healthy can prevent infections and resulting cell damage that could lead to oral cancer – so don’t forget to attend dentist check-ups and visit our dental hygienist in London to make sure your mouth is as healthy as it can be.This doesn’t just affect dental health, but overall health, too – including the heart and lungs.
While gum disease has a negative impact on dental hygiene, maintaining good dental hygiene in the first instance is the key to preventing gum disease from developing.
This includes brushing your teeth every day, visiting your dentist at least once a year, and getting your teeth professionally cleaned at least once or twice a year – see our dental hygienist in London to help avoid gum disease.
How can I maintain oral hygiene?
Good oral hygiene helps you to enjoy daily life without you even realising it – speaking clearly, biting and chewing comfortably, tasting and swallowing foods and drinks, and smiling and laughing without a second thought.
Poor oral health leads to many wider health issues that can cause symptoms ranging from discomfort to severe pain, loss of teeth, and loss of confidence. This is why it’s essential to maintain good oral hygiene throughout your life.
Aside from avoiding smoking that can cause gum disease and oral cancer, and sugary and acidic foods that can damage teeth, the best thing you can do to maintain good oral health is to follow a thorough oral hygiene routine.
You should be brushing your teeth at least twice a day (morning and night) with a fluoride toothpaste, brushing all sides of each tooth in gentle circular motions to remove plaque. It’s also advised to floss between each tooth.
If plaque is allowed to build up, it can harden into tartar and be difficult to remove safely without help from a dental professional. Our dental hygienist in London can help to remove plaque and tartar, but can also help to prevent it from building up in the first place if you attend regular hygienist appointments.
