The Role of the Hygienist

To help the dentist achieve the prevention of both tooth decay and gum disease and if possible, to eliminate both completely.

How?

By regular appointments with the Hygienist who will carefully remove all tartar and plaque from the tooth surfaces and show you the best way to maintain your mouth with the correct brushing techniques and any other aids that will achieve a plaque-free mouth.

Will he/she tell me off?

The Hygienist is only there to help you! He or she is there to correct your brushing techniques and flossing because that is their job. We all can get it wrong - even dentists and hygienists and it needs someone to look into your mouth and help you to get it right with the techniques that are best for your lifestyle.

Will they be shocked?

If you haven't been to the dentist for years - and you feel ashamed of the state of your mouth - please remember we have seen it all before and usually much worse. It never shocks us, we simply know we can aim to improve the state of your mouth to help you.

I am very frightened!

By giving longer appointments, talking to you, explaining what is going on and doing treatment gently and thoroughly means we can do things without having to cause you pain and this lessens your fear. We are experienced at dealing with very nervous patients and it is very rare that we cannot calm our patients and carry out the procedures as normal.

Will it hurt me?

The Hygienist does not deliberately set out to hurt anyone. Scaling procedures can be uncomfortable to begin with especially if you have not had treatment for a long time. This is why on your first visit we take it very slowly and gently so that you get used to the Ultra-Sonic scaling, or we might only polish your teeth and show you the best brushing techniques. If anything is uncomfortable please tell the Hygienist - they will not mind at all; in fact they want and need you to tell him so that they can do something about it.

If necessary your Dentist can prescribe a local anaesthetic for any scaling or polishing work. You are the important one - we will do anything to make you feel more comfortable. You are in charge of your treatment not the Hygienist, so if you wish to stop – just raise your hand. It does work! We do watch your reactions very carefully.

Hygiene Treatment Room

Gum Disease - Clinically known as Gingival and Periodontal Disease

Gum Disease is the slow or sometimes rapid destruction of the bone and soft tissues which surround your teeth. The gums can recede down the neck of the tooth exposing the roots which gives you sensitivity of the tooth. The altered shape of the gums means you can trap food and it is more difficult to keep the gums clean. This makes the problem worse and your gums can become very swollen and red, they may bleed, and cause you bad breath.

Generally gum disease starts to become obvious in your 20's and if untreated becomes well established in your 30's and by the 40's teeth are beginning to twist and move and become loose. Sometimes you can get none of those symptoms but the bone is gradually lost until the tooth becomes mobile.

Can loose teeth be saved?

The vast majority of teeth are lost because of untreated gum disease. Yet, even if teeth have become loose they can be tightened, but it will very much depend on the amount of bone you have lost as to the long-term prognosis of your teeth.

What is the treatment?

The dentist will initially check your gums and give you a Periodontal Assessment, which measures the degree of "Gum Disease" in six areas. This vital charting tells the Hygienist which areas to concentrate on and together with x-rays we can tell you the long-term prognosis of your teeth, (and which ones you might have to lose if the disease has gone too far).

You may need general cleaning, oral hygiene and maintenance care.

With very deep areas of infection and disease you may need further treatment. It will be necessary for the Hygienist to give you a local anaesthetic. He will then carry out root cleaning to remove sources of infection and encourage healing of your mouth.

The number of visits and length of time you will need depend on the state of your gums and is individually planned.

Other Treatment

The Hygienist can also carry out very important preventative treatment to help stop decay.

We can give you an application of Fluoride Gel, which is applied to the teeth and allowed to be absorbed into the top layer of the enamel. This has the effect of hardening the enamel and is done every 3 or 4 months until re-assessment.

The application of fissure sealants is also exceptionally good at stopping decay in the top surface of the teeth especially when applied to the permanent teeth of children as soon as they have erupted.

Please ask if you have any fears or worries. We have provided books in the reception area and someone in the Practice will always be ready to answer any queries you may have. We are here purely to help you prevent getting tooth and gum problems.

You have the right to expect your own teeth to last all of your life – and we aim to achieve that with our patients.

Fees

The hourly rate for hygiene at Rookswood Dental Practice is £120. You will have different appointment lenghts and frequency in your preventative hygiene programme according to your needs and any disease noted during your exam by Dr Catherine Crowe.