Teeth Cleaning
Teeth cleaning is performed by our dentists who will also educate and instruct you on cleaning your teeth at home. We believe that prevention is better than cure. Your daily oral hygiene routine is especially important in the prevention of gum disease. Dentists agree that interproximal cleaning (between your teeth) using floss or interdental brushes or a water pik is an essential part of your daily oral hygiene routine. Your teeth will be professionally cleaned using techniques such as AIRFLOW, Ultrasonic scaling, Hand scaling, recording BPE and disclosing.
Healthy gums are the foundation to a healthy smile. Recent research has shown links with periodontal disease and general health. Inflammation may be responsible for the link to Diabetes, Heart Disease, Alzheimer, Lupus, Crohn's disease, respiratory disease and cancer. On a regular basis we monitor your periodontal pockets (space around the collar of a tooth), to ensure there is minimal active gum disease. This is the Basic Periodontal Examination which is included in your consultation and teeth cleaning and should be recorded in your dental file every 6 months. This helps achieve the goal of early Periodontal Disease Detection.
Commonly asked questions
How often should I have my teeth cleaned?
Patients have different needs and may require seeing the dentist/hygienist at different intervals. Each patient is assessed on their particular circumstances, level of hygiene and risk of disease. A six-month check up is often recommended for patients who are maintaining their oral hygiene and have no active gum disease. A 2,3 or 4 month periodontal therapy scaling may be recommended for patients who have difficult areas to maintain, are under orthodontic treatment, have a higher degree of build up of tartar, smokers, patients who have active gum disease or patients who are genetically susceptible to gum disease. When pregnant it is essential to have regular hygiene appointments.
What is Periodontal (Gum) disease?
Periodontal disease is a general term describing the inflammation and destruction of the tissue supporting the teeth, which includes gingivitis and periodontal disease.
Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease that can be recognised when the gum becomes red and swollen and bleeds easily when you brush your teeth—this is often the first sign of the disease, and is fully reversible.
Periodontal Disease is the later stage of gum disease when the bone and gum supporting the teeth is progressively destroyed. Persistent bad breath and tall looking teeth (recession), are often warning signs. Moderate stages of periodontal disease can be maintained for years with 2-3 month scaling appointments and good home care. More advanced stages can lead to permanent damage and loss of teeth.
Early diagnosis is the key to maintaining your oral health.
How is Periodontal (gum) disease detected?
A Periodontal (gum) assessment is an evaluation of your gingival health. The collar around the tooth where the gum does not attach to the tooth is measured with a calibrated probe. Healthy pocket depths are 2-3mm. It is recommended by the British Periodontal Society to monitor and record these depths. In conjunction with pocket depth, bleeding and recession indices and x-rays are also used to provide a complete diagnosis.
How long does an appointment take?
Appointment time varies with individuals. If the general build up on the teeth is not heavy and the patient is attending regularly. A 6-month dental scaling and polish will take 15-30 minutes. If a patient has not attended for years, is a heavy smoker or has moderate to heavy build up they may require a few longer sessions. If the teeth are sensitive during a scaling appointment, local anaesthetic is often used to provide a more comfortable session.