Hygeine Appointment

The main focus of a hygiene appointments is towards preventing decay and gum (periodontal) disease.  

Hygiene appointments can vary from routine 20 minute appointment every 6 months, to a series of appointments in quick succession. This is dependent on the individual and their risk of gum disease and caries (decay).

Initially a basic periodontal examination (BPE) is taken,which will identify the presence of any gum disease and/or destruction of supporting tissue (periodontal tissue) around each tooth, and will determine the course of treatment required. 

Periodontal disease is the bacterial destruction of the gums (gingiva) which has the potential to extend into the supporting bone structure, leading to tooth mobility and eventual tooth loss.  Often the early signs of periodontal disease can go unnoticed however some people may notice bleeding gums, bad breath or gum recession.

Due to the bacterial aspect of gum disease a large part of eradicating the disease is heavily weighted upon the daily cleaning to remove the infection, this alongside routine appointments to remove tartar (calculus) deposits.

The initial appointment will involve a general scale, removing calculus and providing preventative advice with regards to brushing and areas where plaque builds up. Subsequent visits will then involve further scaling and clearing of the tooth root surface to remove bacteria and monitor the gradual improvement in gingival health.

We feel a holistic approach to our patients' oral health provides the best success rate, formulating a practical home care routine as in addition external factors such as smoking, poor diet, medication and stress can also impact gingival health, and need to be taken into consideration. Any strain on your bodies defence system can in turn make you more susceptible to bacterial infection leading to periodontal disease.