fThe primary role of our dental hygienist and therapists is to provide preventative care and control of oral health to our patients.

Ensuring that you have a stable and healthy mouth. Not only to give your teeth and gums a much more thorough clean than you can achieve at home but also to spot early warning signs of more serious developments such as gum disease and even oral cancer.

What does a dental hygienist actually do

• Scale and polish
• Airflow polish
• Assess the current health of your mouth and surrounding tissue
• Take dental radiographs on prescription from a dentist
• Provide fluoride varnish application on prescription from a dentist
• Provide treatment using the latest technology, including comfort aids such as numbing
• Provide you with oral health education and product recommendations
• Send you home with a tailored treatment plan to maintain your oral health
• Recommend further periodontic treatment where necessary

Will dental hygiene treatment hurt?

Scaling and polishing are usually totally pain free. However, if you do have any discomfort the hygienist can use anaesthetic creams, or give you some local anaesthetic. Please let your hygienist know at the time so they can help with your discomfort.

What can poor oral hygiene cause

• Bad breath (halitosis)
• The build-up of visible plaque and tartar
• Stained teeth
• Red, swollen or bleeding gums
• Receding gums
• Sensitive teeth
• Pain when eating
• Tooth decay
• Loose teeth and even tooth loss
• Dental abscesses

Direct Access

​In 2013 the GDC removed its barrier to Direct Access for some dental care professionals after considering the impact on patient safety. Before then, every member of the dental team had to work on the prescription of a dentist. This meant that patients had to be seen by a dentist before being treated by any other member of the dental team.

For more information on this please see the GDC website. 

For more information of dental hygiene please visit our dedicated hygiene page here. 

Looking For “Brushing your teeth, how and why”  find the blog here.