Dental Hygiene Treatments
Dental hygiene appointments include all treatments that are provided by our dental hygienists. This includes baseline gum pocket measurements, teeth and gum disinfection to treat gingivitis, polishing and stain removal, teeth whitening, advice related to gum health and pH testing systems to reduce decay risk.
Dental hygienists focus on preventative care to maintain optimal gum, bone and teeth health. However, it is important to note that bacteria in the mouth affects our whole body due to its close proximity to the blood vessels in the mouth, which means you can never be truly healthy with infected gums. We recommend visiting your hygienist at least every 6 months for professional plaque removal and overall mouth disinfection.
What to expect at your first hygiene visit?
The first visit is crucial in ensuring appropriate treatment is selected. This visit depends closely on listening to your needs, medical, familial, nutritional and dental history correlating this with the physical findings and arranging further investigation if needed.
A periodontal chart will be performed, this is a detailed recording of your gum and bone levels around your teeth. This is used to assess your treatment needs and long term oral health. We then link in the clinical findings with the information discussed in the initial conversation including your photographic records to determine the course of treatment required and provide advice & instruction on how to manage your gum infection.
During every hygiene visit, plaque and calculus (tartar) build up is removed from your teeth both above and below the gum line. At home tooth brushing cannot remove this calculus and overtime the build-up leads to gingivitis (inflammation of the gums). Advanced gingivitis (periodontitis) leads to bone loss and further complications, which can be prevented by following a carefully tailored periodontal management program. In the presence of more complex disease issues, your hygienist will recommend a program to treat your specific issues, this may require multiple visits.
Your hygienist will work with you to guide and educate you on ways to improve your oral health. Many dental diseases are preventable and your oral health can affect your overall health. Finally, it’s worth noting that gum disease generally only causes pain when it is very advanced. Early diagnosis is the key.
Hygiene treatment techniques
By using the latest techniques to diagnose the level of gum infection present, we can develop a specific treatment plan to prevent its progress. They include the following:
- Pocket Probing
- By measuring the depth of the gum pocket around the tooth, we can assess the extent of infection and the treatment required to treat it. An ideal gum pocket should be in the 1-3mm range. These measurements are regularly reviewed by our hygienists to assess gum health improvement after therapy.
- Photographs
- Intra oral photographs are a great visual tool to confirm the presence of inflammation and assist in patient education as well as a clear comparison on the effectiveness of treatment by taking comparative photos 6 and 12 monthly.
- X-Rays
- X-Rays enable us to look under the gums to examine the level of bone support. Bone is the structural support of teeth and its loss can compromise the long-term life of teeth. X-Rays provide us with a view that helps us personalise a plan to stop bone loss and treat deep-seated gum problems.
- Plaque Disclosing systems
- Coloured dyes that stain plaque prior to cleaning teeth, are a useful adjunct to assist in your assessment of how efficiently you are brushing and flossing.
- Airflow polishers
- AIRFLOW® Plus powder comfortably and efficiently removes biofilm (the tenacious film of bacteria & plaque), tea, coffee and smoking stains and fresh calculus above and below the gum lines thus reducing the need for hand and ultrasonic instruments. No more rubber cups, brushes and pastes. The treatment is performed with a regulated irrigation temperature with medium pressure water/air for total comfort and the most amazing clean and polished feeling of your teeth.
- Mouthwashes
- Medicated mouthwashes can be useful immediately after gum therapy to accelerate the healing process. Used long term, they may provide better health but not remove plaque effectively, so brushing and flossing/interdental cleaning are the keys to ideal gum health. Topical Antibiotics In the presence of advanced gum disease topical antibiotic therapy placed into deep pockets can be used in conjunction with mechanical or ultrasonic removal of plaque/tartar.
- Diet
- Good nutrition is vital for optimal overall health but also your oral health. Everything you eat and drink can affect the health of your teeth and gums. Protein and zinc found in lean meats, beans, green leafy vegetables and mushrooms are essential for tissue repair after any dental treatment. A high water intake maintains tissue hydration and a diet focused on wholefoods and fresh produce is necessary to repair the damage caused from gum infections. Additionally, there are certain foods that can be detrimental to oral health. These include foods high in sugar, acidic foods/drinks and refined carbohydrates. There is a direct correlation between consuming sugars and tooth decay. Sugar molecules combined with saliva and bacteria present in the mouth leads to pH changes and an environment ripe for dental decay is created.
