Dental Hygiene
It is important to have regular hygiene sessions for good oral health to help prevent dental decay and gum disease by removing tartar and plaque build-up. It is advisable to have a Scale and Polish cleaning session at least every 6 months to keep your gums in optimum condition.
The hygienist will conduct a thorough cleaning for you and now there are many different options. The complete hygiene treatment is non-invasive and pain-free.
We offer hygienist appointments for all age groups, including Scale and Polish and Air flow. Airflow is a powerful hygiene treatment that cleans and polishes the teeth using a jet of water, air and sodium bicarbonate.
- Scale & Polish – teeth cleaning.
- Airflow Sparkle Polish – the latest in teeth cleaning technology with airflow jet used to effectively remove staining caused by coffee, tea, red wine, tobacco and some mouthwashes.
Oral Hygiene Tips
Tooth Brushing
- Brush two times a day for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Angle the brush 45° towards the gum line where the plaque starts to form.
- Brush each tooth for 3-5 seconds before moving on.
- An electronic brush with a pressure sensor is preferable.
- Change toothbrush head or toothbrush every 3-4 months. The bristles on the toothbrush can splay out making the toothbrush ineffective.
In-between Cleaning
- General tooth brushing only gets rid of 60% of plaque bacteria, 40% is still left in between the teeth.
- Use floss or interdental brushes twice a day to clean in between the teeth.
Toothpaste
- Use a pea sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
- Fluoride helps to prevent against tooth decay and gum inflammation.
Spit don’t rinse
- Don’t rinse with water or mouthwash after brushing.
- Spit out the toothpaste a few times and some of the remnants will remain on the teeth will help against decay.
Mouthwash
- Use mouthwash at different times, not straight after brushing.
- Choose one which contains fluoride and is alcohol free.
- Mouthwash is an adjunct, it does not replace brushing. The most important thing is mechanical tooth brushing.
Tongue cleaning
- Bacteria can harbour on the tongue and may lead to bad breath over time.
- Use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue.
Cut out snacking
- Limit sugary and acidic food/drink to meal-times.
- Constant snacking provides the bacteria in the mouth with more sugar and higher chance of developing tooth decay. Acidic food and drink leads to acid erosion of the tooth surface.
