Your First Hygienist Appointment
What to Expect At Abbey Road Dental In St John’s Wood
Here at Abbey Road Dental we are proud to have an exceptional dental hygienist on our team who works with us to provide the complete range of oral health services we offer.
Understanding the services offered by the hygienist is important for patients who may benefit from those kinds of treatments.
Sometimes we may refer you to a hygienist as part of a treatment plan, or you can independently book the hygienist yourself for certain treatments.
So, What Is A Dental Hygienist?
A dental hygienist focuses on preventative oral care and gum disease and helps patients in the quest to maintain good gum health and keep all their natural teeth long-term.
One of their key activities is to remove plaque and tartar on your teeth. If the plaque and tartar is not removed properly it can cause you to develop gum disease which is the leading cause of tooth loss in the UK. You may also suffer from tooth decay, which can also lead to tooth loss. The appointment will also include useful education for the patient to help them clean their teeth as well as possible between visits.
What Should I Expect From My First Hygienist Visit At Abbey Road Dental?
When you visit your hygienist the first part of your appointment will be a chat about why you are there. Sometimes this involves questions about your lifestyle and medical status, sometimes it might require you describe any symptoms or issues you are having. Sometimes it is simply a case of checking the information on the system. The more your hygienist knows about your lifestyle and oral habits, the more they can advise you on keeping your teeth and gums in great shape.
Once you have had a good chat with the hygienist they will examine your teeth and gums. They may do periodontal charting, which is where they measure any periodontal pockets surrounding the teeth if gum disease is present. By doing this, they can then chart your progress throughout treatment, which will work to help shrink those pockets.
By having a thorough understanding of your current oral health status the hygienist can then tailor a cleaning plan to suit you. The hygienist will then talk you through cleaning tools and methods to keep your gums and teeth clean. There are a variety of tools that the hygienist can suggest, so that you’ll be able to clean your teeth effectively yourself. They will then clean your teeth using a variety of special methods designed to remove all the plaque and tartar from your teeth. You may have several rounds of cleaning during the appointment as different tools are used to work on your teeth.
Once your teeth are completely cleaned, the hygienist may then provide advice on lifestyle changes and changes to your diet that can help you improve the health of your teeth and gums. They may also suggest products that you can buy to help ease issues you are having. For example; they may suggest special mouthwash to help if you have an issue with dry mouth.
This is a basic generalisation of how an initial appointment with a hygienist is likely to go. It is important to understand that each appointment is entirely tailored to each patients needs. If you have been referred because of gum disease, that will be the focus. If you visit because you’re going through cancer treatment and dry mouth is causing you issues cleaning your teeth, helping you with that issue will be the focus. Your hygienist will work to help you with your overall oral health and help you with issues where you need specific assistance.
The Treatments And Services Our Hygienist Provides
A hygienist provides a wide range of services and treatments including, but not limited to:
- Demonstrating how to use a toothbrush to clean the teeth and gums effectively
- Demonstrating how to use additional oral hygiene tools
- Recommending oral hygiene products suitable for your specific needs
- Explaining gum disease to you, should you need more information
- Completing a periodontal chart
- Effectively cleaning plaque and tartar from the teeth
- Advising you on lifestyle habits that could be causing your oral health to deteriorate
- Fluoride varnish and fissure sealant applications
- Tooth polishing
- Teeth whitening
These are just some of the services and treatments available from the hygienist.
They might work in conjunction with the dentist, perform treatments after you have been referred from the dentist, or recommend treatments based on your initial consultation only. The regularity of your appointments with the hygienist depend on your needs. Some people can receive the treatment they need in just one appointment, other people need to see the hygienist once every three months. For most people, regular hygienist appointments are a beneficial addition to six monthly checkups as part of your overall oral hygiene regime.
Book An Appointment With Your NW8 Hygienist Today!
Would you like to:
- Improve your oral cleaning regime?
- Get advice on how to prevent gum disease?
- Receive individually tailored cleaning advice because of the effects of medication or a medical issue on your health?
- Get support in managing periodontal disease?
- Receive a clean and polish before a big event?
- Compliment your 6 monthly checkups with hygiene support from the hygienist?
If any of the above sound like a great idea to you, please get in touch. You can call our friendly team on 02076241603 to book an appointment with our hygienist today. If the receptionist thinks you require a dental consultation first, they will advise you of this on the ‘phone and explain our processes to you.
Ensuring you get the best care and the right care is our priority, so we will always try to ensure you see the right team member first time when you visit our handy and popular clinic in NW8.
