Services at
Hygienists Direct
Our highly-trained hygienists can help you with:
Scale & Polish
Healthy Teeth & Gums
Cosmetic Clean
Implant & Brace Care
Fresh Breath
Oral Cancer Screening
Scale & Polish
Having a healthy mouth is important for our self-confidence and well-being. To keep your smile sparkling, a good regular professional scale and polish is recommended. This helps keep gums and teeth healthy.
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Over time plaque bacteria, tartar and dietary staining may build up leading to dull, discoloured and unsightly teeth. Our expert dental hygienists gently remove this build-up using the latest equipment so that the surfaces of the teeth are not damaged during the process.
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Ultrasonic scalers carefully remove debris by using minute vibrations and a fine mist of water. This water keeps the teeth cool and washes away the dislodged deposits. Fine hand instruments are used to remove tartar from any remaining areas.
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We finish the appointment by polishing your teeth to make them smooth. Polishing also reduces future build-up by making it harder for bacteria to stick. Sometimes our hygienists may apply antiseptic gels or fluoride treatments, if appropriate.
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Finally, full aftercare advice is given. This may include personalised brushing techniques and recommendations for cleaning between your teeth.
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In our hands a scale and polish is usually pain free. However, if you are at all uncomfortable, the experienced hygienists here can use topical or local anaesthetics, if you wish. All are friendly and approachable, you just need to ask! They are especially good at putting anxious patients at ease.
Healthy Teeth & Gums
Regular professional dental appointments are important to keep teeth and gums healthy. A good diet, low in sugar and acid, is also necessary to prevent dental decay.
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Plaque bacteria not only cause tooth decay but can inflame our gums leading to bleeding, drifting, loose teeth and eventual tooth loss. Gum disease is now the most common reason for adults to lose their teeth but is entirely preventable.
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During the initial examination we will assess your susceptibility to gum disease and tooth decay and suggest a tailored programme to help you.
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If you need dental treatment outside a hygienist’s area of expertise we will always let you know. Although we do not have general dentists at the practice, we can recommend good local dentists if you do not have one.
In this practice we have friendly gum disease specialists who are available to help if your condition is too advanced to be managed by a hygienist or a general dentist. A referral from your dentist will be necessary for this service.
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Good toothbrushing and gum care are vital, and our hygienists are extremely knowledgeable about the best ways to help you achieve this.
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Tooth loss is not inevitable if you have gum disease. However, early diagnosis and effective treatment are essential to ensure the best outcome.
Cosmetic Clean
A variety of factors can lead to unsightly discoloured and stained teeth. The most common causes are dietary including coffee, tea, red wine and smoking.
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Prolonged use of chlorhexidine mouthwashes and gels can also lead to stubborn staining which is difficult to remove. Staining combined with the build up of plaque and tartar can reduce self-confidence and well-being. Sadly, people with poor dental health tend to smile less.
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A thorough scale and polish can restore smiles!
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Our friendly hygienists scale using the best hand and ultrasonic instruments. Professional polishing then lifts even the most ingrained discolouration.
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At Hygienists Direct we have all the latest equipment including Air Polishers. These are alternatives to traditional polishing for stain removal and for the maintenance of teeth and dental implants. They work using a fine jet of air, water and calcium-based polishing particles to produce amazing results.
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We are happy to see you for regular cleaning or for a special occasion such as a wedding, holiday or party.
Implant & Brace Care
Having complex dental treatments such as dental implants or braces to straighten teeth can make preservation of healthy teeth and gums more difficult.
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If maintenance care is neglected implants may be lost due to infections. If oral care is neglected whilst having fixed braces, damage to the teeth and gums can lead to a poor aesthetic result when braces are removed.
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Regular hygienist appointments are very helpful for people with dental implants or braces. We can offer full support to make your dentistry as successful as possible.
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This will be with a combination of home care advice, gentle scaling and polishing and antiseptic or fluoride treatments, if appropriate. Our support will be personalised to your individual needs.
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After your braces are removed, there can be discolouration of the newly aligned teeth due to staining and sometimes remaining bracket adhesive. A full scale and polish after the braces are removed can make all the difference to your new smile.
Fresh Breath
We all want to have fresh breath. Many people worry that they may have bad breath and we can help with this.
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The most common cause of bad breath is poor oral hygiene. The bacteria building up on teeth, gums and the tongue produce unpleasant smelling gases. They can also lead to gum disease and tooth decay. Regular and effective dental hygienist visits can help restore fresh breath.
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Other medical conditions such as acid reflux, dry mouth, ENT (ear, nose and throat) problems, diabetes or crash dieting can contribute.
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Smoking and eating strongly flavoured foods such as onions, garlic and spices may cause temporary bad breath.
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Our hygienists can give you constructive advice on maintaining fresh breath. Regular professional cleaning can keep the bacteria associated with breath problems away.
Oral Cancer Screening
At every visit our hygienists carry out Oral Cancer Screening. This is a visual examination of all the soft tissues of the mouth. We look for swellings, lumps and bumps, areas of ulceration and discolouration.
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A physical examination of your jaw, mouth and neck may be needed. Any unusual nodules or lumps may be gently felt to determine their texture and mobility.
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Most abnormalities are temporary, will be monitored and should disappear. However, if we do notice unexplained lesions, with your agreement we will either refer you to a dentist, GP or to a hospital for further investigations.
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Picking up oral cancer early is essential. Early detection leads to a 90% survival rate compared to 50% for delayed diagnosis.
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Importantly, you can be reassured that all our hygienists are fully qualified to carry out oral cancer screening.
Appointments
The first appointment is 45 minutes (£132) and involves an examination and tailored treatment plan to meet your needs. Usually the scale and polish can be completed in this appointment. However, further appointments may be necessary if there is more work to do.
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Subsequent appointments are usually for 30 minutes (£86) on a 3,4 or 6 monthly basis.
We are happy to see you for regular or one-off visits for a special occasion. We can also see you if your own dentist doesn’t have a hygienist.