Dental Hygiene

A clean, healthy mouth feels good and helps you to have a great smile, good oral hygiene can also keep your breath fresh and maintain healthy gums. The hygienists role at Widney Dental Care is to not only provide a thorough cleaning of your teeth but to also advise you on diet and the range of oral health products to best suit your needs in order to maintain good oral hygiene.

Hygienists are specially trained to prevent & treat gum disease and dental caries (tooth decay). This involves working clinically in the mouth using both manual and ultrasonic instruments to restore & maintain oral health, as well providing advice and education on how to best look after your smile.

Plaque & Tartar

Plaque is a white sticky substance that forms naturally on teeth, if it is allowed to build up for more than 24 hours the bacteria mature and begin to attack the tooth and surrounding gum. Over time this remaining plaque becomes calcified (hard) with minerals from saliva. Once calcified it is difficult if not virtually impossible to remove easily at home. Even with regular tooth brushing plaque may become calcified to form tartar in difficult to reach places such as behind the lower front teeth and just under the edge of the gums which can only be removed professionally. Not only does this tartar irritate the gums, it also provides a haven for further bacteria to adhere and thrive, which if left un-checked will eventually lead to the loss of the tooth as the supporting ligament is destroyed.

A regular visit to the dental hygienist will remove any tartar and help to maintain the health of your mouth.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is a general term that is used to describe the inflammation and destruction of the pink soft tissues supporting the teeth and includes periodontal disease and gingivitis. Most of us suffer from some form of gum disease to some extent somewhere in the mouth. The major cause of gum disease is the accumulation of plaque and tartar close to the margin of the tooth & gum, causing the gum to become inflamed and eventually leading to pocket formation which reduces the support of the tooth. Gum disease is one of the major causes of tooth loss in the UK.

A Daily Routine

Although a regular visit to the dental hygienist will remove and hard tartar and accumulated plaque, a good daily oral care routine will help to ensure that your breath stays fresh and your gums & teeth healthy. This daily routine for adults should include:

• Brushing your teeth for 2 minutes at least twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste; remembering to brush each surface of the tooth to clean away plaque from the enamel and gum margin.
• Regular flossing to remove plaque from in-between your teeth where the toothbrush can not reach.
• The use of a fluoridated mouthwash after brushing for optimum protection

If you are unsure about the best way to brush your teeth, floss or for specialist advice on oral hygiene please ask the dental hygienist at your next visit.