Your oral hygiene is very important when it comes to looking after your teeth. Having a good daily habit will help reduce the likelihood of dental complications from developing. The guidelines recommend:
- Brushing your teeth at least twice a day
- Flossing once a day
- Using a mouthwash
Its recommended as well as your 6 monthly check-up that you have a dental hygiene scale & polish appointment. This enables a good thorough clean of your teeth and means we can tackle any big build ups of plaque and tartar.
Looking After Your Teeth
Everyday our mouths will be exposed to lots of different types of bacteria which will attack our teeth over time. Our diets also play a big part on how quick tooth decay can occur. Consuming food and drink that are high in sugar will fuel the bacteria and speed up the rate of tooth decay (sugar is like fuel for bacteria – which creates an acid that attacks our teeth). Tooth decay means we get holes in our teeth (cavities), and this will then require further dental intervention to repair the tooth e.g. fillings, inlays & onlays, crowns, root canals, extractions (worst case scenario) etc
Your daily oral hygiene routine is extremely important to keep on top of, as it does help to reduce/slow down the build up of bacteria. It’s typically the hard to reach places which are more prone to having tougher build ups that need that little bit of extra help at the hygiene appointments (using professional tools to clean).
What Is Plaque & Tartar?
As bacteria builds up on our teeth, plaque will start to form (a colorless stick layer). Our saliva will aid its growth along with any fluids or food we consume (especially sugary substances). Plaque is one of the main contributing factors to gum disease if it isn’t removed. As plaque grows, it will eventually turn into a hardened sticky substance called tartar. This is when conventional cleaning at home will not be able to remove it and it will need a professional clean to tackle the build up.
Why Have a Dental Hygiene Appointment?
To achieve dental health its important your teeth are regularly thoroughly cleaned. Combined with a dental check-up this is an integral part of your routine dental care. By removing any tough build ups, we will help you to look after your natural teeth for as long as possible.
What To Expect During a Scale & Polish
The first part of the treatment is to scale the teeth. We will use a dental tool called an ultra-sonic scaler that vibrates very fast and shoots a jet of water. The water will help dislodge any trapped bits of food debris and the fast vibrations of the scaler will help with any tough build ups of tartar.
For the tight interproximal spaces (between teeth), we have special tools that can get into these tight spaces to tackle those build ups as well.
To finish the treatment, we polish the teeth using a rotating brush and toothpaste. This will leave you feeling very fresh and will make your teeth look cleaner. Its recommended to have a hygiene appointment every 6 months (the same as a check up), but this is dependent on your oral health. You may be advised to attend every 3 months until you have achieved dental health again.
If you would like to book your next hygiene appointment, please do not hesitate to call us and book today.
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