Looking after your mouth involves more than just healthy teeth. The gums and bone that support your teeth are equally as important. At Dental Care West, our Dental Hygienists can help you to keep your smile and oral health in great shape. They are trained in preventative oral health measures, and work to ensure that your teeth and gums are kept clean and healthy.

Regular visits to our Dental Hygienists are the most cost-effective way of looking after your teeth and gums. Prevention is easier, less painful and cheaper than a cure!

Our hygiene appointments will begin with a full examination of your gums so we can thoroughly assess your oral health.

The hygienist will remove plaque and hardened calculus from around your teeth and gums using special ultrasonic instruments. It is a gentle process sometimes referred to as ‘cleaning’ or ‘a clean’. The cleaning process is also useful for removing stains from teeth for a whiter smile. If your teeth are particularly sensitive, or there are some deeper areas which require attention, we can apply a local anaesthetic to numb the areas and keep you comfortable and pain-free.

Most patients should see the hygienist every 6 months to maintain a healthy mouth. But we all know that sometimes people fall behind with regular visits, or may not have seen a hygienist before. In these cases your gums may need a little more help to regain their health and then more initial visits may be required. Your dentist or hygienist will help advise on this point prior to starting.

We will also advise you on all of the ways you can keep your smile healthy at home in-between your hygiene appointments, for example:

• Which type of toothbrush you should be using
• How, when and for how long to correctly brush your teeth
• How to floss correctly, and how often you should be flossing
• How to specifically clean around hard to access teeth like bridges or implants
• Any signs which may be a cause for concern

If your we feel your oral health isn’t responding well or not getting better, we may recommend referring you to see a gum specialist called a periodontist.