Most of us understand the importance of regularly visiting our dentist.  However, there’s perhaps less understanding of the role of the dental hygienist.

Tavistock House Dental Practice’s highly experienced hygienists help you look after your teeth by polishing unsightly surface stains and advising you of the best way to look after your teeth and gums.

In addition to advising you about areas you might be missing, they also remove the hard and rough scale deposits (“calculus” or “tartar”) from above and below the gum line.  These scale deposits are harmless if kept clean.  However, the presence of these hard deposits makes cleaning the tooth surface difficult and compromises hygiene efforts at home.  As a result, scale left above and below the gum line can harbour bacteria, causing gum inflammation (gums go red and start to bleed).  If this becomes chronic the bone supporting the tooth can recede and the tooth may eventually become loose or even be lost.  Accumulated bacteria is also a cause of bad breath.

Why should I visit a hygienist?

A clean and healthy mouth can help to provide confidence with fresh breath and improved appearance, but most importantly to prevent tooth decay and loss of supporting bone. Your hygienist can dramatically reduce the need for active treatment, whilst ensuring the longevity of fillings and other more complex work.

Our practice has four hygienists who work Monday to Friday including early mornings and some evenings.

You can find out more about the hygienist team here:
Hygienists

You can request a dental or hygienist appointment here:
Appointments