Hygienist Visit

At the practice we have a lovely Dental Therapist called Steph. If you would like to find out more about her then visit our who we are page.

What happens at my appointment?

At your examination appointment your dentist will advise you whether you need 1 or a 2 part hygiene visit  and whether we recommend you should come every 3 months or 6 months to see the therapist. We offer all hygiene appointments as an NHS fee and for a full list of costs, please see our treatment price list here.

When you come in for your hygiene appointment the therapist will check your gums by gently pressing around each tooth. This is called a basic periodontal examination. This shows how healthy your gums are; they are scored from 0 to 4 with 0 being the best. The therapist will check the pocket depth of your gums and to check if your gums are unhealthy or bleeding. Once this is recorded the therapist will use either the ultrasonic scaler or the hand instruments to clean your teeth. The ultrasonic scaler is best to use as it gives a more thorough clean but if you have sensitive teeth then you can request for the hand instruments to be used which are more gentle. You can also see our sensitivity page for advice on sensitivity. The therapists use the scalers to remove plaque and calculus build up. After the therapist has given your teeth and gums a scale she will then polish your teeth to remove stains that are present on the teeth.
The therapist will also go over how to clean your teeth properly and how to clean interdentally using floss or interdental brushes.
Why should I get a scale and polish?

• • To help prevent gum diseases

• • To manage gum disease

• • To remove plaque/calculus build up

• • To remove stains

At your examination appointment you can ask the dentist any questions you have.

If you have no teeth and have a full set of dentures it is still important that you come once a year to visit your dentist as they will still carry out the relevant checks above.