Dental Hygiene

Oral health and preventative dentistry

If you want to achieve and maintain a healthy mouth, dental hygiene treatment is essential. Prevention is always better than cure and, thanks to the skills and expertise of your local dental hygienist, you can keep your teeth and gums feeling clean, bright and free from any issues.

What does dental hygiene treatment involve?

The role of a dental hygienist is two-fold. During a typical appointment, they will start by professionally cleaning your teeth and removing any stubborn or difficult-to-reach plaque and tartar. This is called a ‘scale and polish’ and will leave your mouth feeling refreshed and revitalised.

To help you maintain good oral health, a dental hygienist will show you how to remove plaque with a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste and how to clean in between your teeth with an interdental brush or floss.

They can offer tailored advice to help prevent tooth decay and keep your teeth and gums healthy for as long as possible. A clean and healthy mouth can improve your appearance, prevent tooth loss, and ensure fresh breath.

As well as this, many dental hygienists are specially trained to spot the signs of gum disease and can refer you to a dentist or periodontist if you require further private treatment.

In some cases, a regular dentist may advise you to see a hygienist for a thorough clean before you undergo complex dental treatment such as implants.

Direct Access

Dental hygienists and dental therapists can see patients without a prescription from a dentist for the full range of their scope of practice, and at Kiln Lane Dental, our practice allows direct access by patients to see our hygienists.

Whilst our dental team would always advise that patients see a dentist regularly for routine dental health examinations we do understand that some practices do not have access to a dental hygienist and we have many patients who see us for their routine oral hygiene care only.

Our direct access fees are listed on our indicative fee list.

Direct-access dental hygienists will professionally clean your teeth and then share their expert knowledge, perhaps offering a few tips on how to properly care for your teeth and demonstrating how to remove plaque and tartar by yourself. Your dental hygienist will also provide advice on general oral hygiene and can recommend the best practices and products to keep your mouth feeling healthy in between dental hygiene appointments.

What are the benefits of visiting a hygienist?

Establishing a good oral hygiene routine is crucial in eliminating gum disease and tooth decay, which can eventually lead to tooth loss.

One of the greatest advantages of attending a hygiene appointment is that we can remove plaque and tartar from those hidden and hard-to-reach areas in your mouth.

Adults with decaying teeth will benefit from a preventative fluoride application, and anti-bacterial gels can be applied beneath the gum to kill the bacteria that cause gum disease.

Even if your children still have their baby teeth, they can still benefit from a polish treatment. Our dental team can also apply fluoride varnish to prevent decay from an early age.

Making an appointment to see our hygienist can give you healthy teeth and improve your general health, too. We can provide advice on diet and lifestyle habits, including the various ways you can give up smoking and benefit from a brighter and fresher smile.