Dental hygiene appointments

Our highly skilled, friendly hygiene therapist Sam will assess the condition of your mouth and gums whilst measuring the health of the soft tissues.

She will then fully discuss your oral condition with you and help to develop a personalised daily oral care routine; if used appropriately this can help to lengthen the life of your teeth, improve the health of your gums and ultimately the length of your life!

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Teeth Scaling

Sam can clean your teeth and gums with hand scalers and/or ultrasonic scalers with adjustable intensity. We have found the adjustable element to have helped thousands of our patients who previously suffered from sensitivity and discomfort during the scaling process. By being in control of how intense the ultrasonic waves are, Sam is able to remove hardened plaque (calculus) gently but effectively at the level most suitable for you.

The levels of scaling vary depending on how much calculus there is on the teeth. A larger build up usually means more inflammation of the gums, equating in more bleeding and soreness. Sometimes, the more advanced scaling treatments can be done under local anaesthetic to eradicate pain and sensitivity.

Bleeding gums

Bleeding gums are a sign that there is bacteria present. The bacteria forms from plaque and debris that is not removed from the teeth and gums. If not removed effectively, it causes the gums to inflame and bleed. Bleeding gums indicate gum disease, early gum disease (Gingivitis) is easily treated with improved home hygiene. However, advanced gum disease (Periodontitis) often requires more visits with the hygienist who can clean areas you simply cannot reach with floss and brushes.

When progressive periodontal disease is diagnosed, Sam will plan a series of appointments to treat and control the disease. This will help to reduce any more bone loss caused by periodontal disease. Although treatment cannot replenish the bone structure that’s already been lost, it can stop further loss, stabilising the teeth and gums. This in turn can prevent/reduce tooth mobility and eventual tooth loss.

Airflow Stain Removal

If you’re worried about your teeth stains, Love the Dentist offers a stain removal service that uses a specialised fine powder to remove stains without damaging your teeth – leaving your teeth looking brighter and whiter in just one visit. Airflow is a great way to safely and naturally whiten your teeth, and create a more youthful smile. It can be offered alongside your regular hygiene appointments.

Dental Education

Our staff are expertly trained to advise you about the most up to date information on oral care, tooth brushing and ways to minimise your risk of dental problems. Interproximal cleaning (such as flossing) is paramount for a healthy, cavity free mouth yet most people admit to not including it in their daily routine. We are here to show you ways to involve this type of dental cleaning in your daily routine, with tricks and tips to make it as stress free as possible.

Fluoride Application

A special Gel can be applied to your teeth to help keep them strong and even sometimes reverse damaging decay due to it’s high fluoride content. Fluoride is a mineral in your bones and teeth and also naturally occurs in water in varying amounts, depending on where in the UK you live. This mineral can help to strengthen enamel and prevent decay when applied directly to the teeth; either via toothpaste, fluoridated water or highly concentrated gels.

Fresh Breath

To keep your breath fresh you must get rid of any gum disease whilst keeping your mouth clean and fresh. If you do have bad breath, try keeping a diary of all the foods you eat and list any medicines you are taking. Take this diary to your dentist, who may be able to suggest ways to solve the problem.

Interproximal cleaning

Brushing teeth and gums twice daily is extremely important in maintaining a healthy mouth. But without cleaning in-between your teeth, you are only cleaning 60% of your tooth surface. Plaque bacteria and food debris gets trapped in between teeth and can stagnate and cause bleeding gums and bad breath – our Dental Hygienist will show you how to clean in-between teeth effectively to prevent bleeding gums and bad breath – as part of your hygiene session you will be shown a variety of cleaning aids and advised on which would work best on you. For example

Floss
Super floss
Interdental brushes
Flossettes

Bad breath could be caused by a tooth that has dental decay or a wisdom tooth that has not erupted fully. Plaque bacteria and food debris can get trapped in a tooth cavity or gum around the wisdom tooth, stagnate and cause bad breath – book in with one of our Dentists to check for decay and plaque.

Chewing sugar-free gum helps your mouth produce saliva and stops it drying out. A dry mouth can lead to bad breath.

If you continue to suffer from bad breath visit your dental team to check that it’s not caused by a more serious underlying problem. If the Dentist or Hygienist feels that the oral malodour arises from anywhere other than the mouth they will suggest seeing your GP.