Sue, Zoe, Helena and Debbie are our excellent hygienists at Tonbridge Dental Centre and between them, they are here every day of the week. They compliment the dentists work by providing deep scaling and polishing, keeping your teeth and gums healthy for good long term oral fitness.
Here are some of the regular questions asked by our patients:
What is a Dental Hygienist?
Dental Hygienists work very closely with the dentists ensuring that your gums are kept healthy through a combination of regular scaling and polishing and continual education and feedback so that you can do a better job at home.
Why is seeing a hygienist so important?
Your gums are the foundation of healthy teeth. Without healthy gums, teeth become mobile and more susceptible to decay. Keeping your gums healthy is as major factor in keeping your teeth all your life. A hygienist will remove deposits of plaque and calculus on your teeth, teach you how to stop it coming back again and discuss how diet can help slow down the effects of gum disease.
Why doesn't the dentist clean my teeth?
Some dentists will provide a scale and polish, but our dentists at Tonbridge Dental Centre realize that a hygienist has been specially trained to do the job. They are up to date on the very best and latest cleaning techniques and can provide the very best education for our patients.
Sue Leigh
What can I do to help the hygienist?
You can do a great deal to help yourself and the hygienist, as you are in control of your mouth between visits to the practice.
Your hygienist will have shown you how to remove plaque with a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. You will also have been shown how to clean between your teeth with floss, tape or little brushes.
There are many oral care products now available including specialist toothpastes, powered toothbrushes and mouthwashes. Your hygienist will recommend those that are best for you.
We recommend you follow three simple steps to help keep your teeth and gums healthy.
• brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
• cut down on how often you have sugary snacks and drinks
• visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.
Cutting down the amount of sugar in your diet, and the number of times that you eat during the day, can help to reduce decay. Your hygienist can help you by looking at your decay problem, your diet and by making some recommendations for you to consider.
Chewing sugar-free gum after meals can also help to prevent tooth decay. Chewing gum makes your mouth produce more saliva, which in turn cancels out the acid produced in your mouth after drinking and eating.
Zoe Wiltshire
Helena Lewis-Greene
Debbie Hall
