Hygienist appointments at St. Paul’s Dental Care
Dental hygienists are trained to deal with all aspects of preventative Dentistry.
At St. Pauls our hygienists typically concentrate on oral hygiene instruction, diet advice in relation to teeth, scaling and polishing – this may consist of a single scale to more advanced gum treatment. More advanced gum treatment involves deep scaling below gum level sometimes with an injection.
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal Disease (also known as gum disease) starts with bleeding gums. You may notice blood when you spit out after brushing.
There are two categories of periodontal disease –
- Gingivitis – The gums bleed, this is caused by a build up of plaque and failure of removing it properly. At this point periodontal disease can be reversible.
- Periodontitis – If gingivitis is left and not treated it can progress into periodontitis. The gum becomes detached from the tooth causing a pocket. This can then progress further where the bone around the tooth is lost. This stage can be slowed down with good oral hygiene but it cannot be reversed.
Hygienists & Cleaning
At St. Pauls our hygienists concentrate on oral hygiene instruction – a key element in the principle of preventative dentistry. This includes dietary advice in relation to teeth, scaling and polishing.
Scaling may range from a simple single scale to more advanced gum treatment, which involves deep scaling below gum level – sometimes requiring an injection.
Oral Cancer Screening
It is very important that you attend for regular examinations so that your mouth is checked for any abnormalities. Your dentist will always check your soft tissues at your routine examination.
