Prevention is better than cure The benefits of visiting a dental hygienist at Craigentinny Dental Care

Prevention has always been better than cure and when one considers dental health, many issues seen by dentists and experienced by patients could have been prevented at an earlier stage.

Maintaining a high level of oral hygiene is more than simply brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day and if you have additional dental needs, such as wearing braces or using dentures, you will require more specialised treatments to keep your mouth in tip top condition.

At Craigentinny Dental Care, we can offer you the highest quality preventive treatments available; our dental hygienist in Edinburgh can provide you with top to bottom preventive dental treatment, regardless of the condition of your teeth or your gums.

Why is visiting a dental hygienist important?

While visiting your general dentist twice a year is part of dental health maintenance, if you are at a higher risk of conditions like gum disease or require personalised dental treatment, you will need to visit a hygienist at least once a year.

Our dental hygienist in Edinburgh is an important member of our dental team and provides a valuable service to all of our patients. Alongside providing services like a scale and polish, our hygienists also undertake more complicated dental cases too.

If you have been referred by a member of our dental team to our dental hygienist in Edinburgh, they can provide you with the following preventive services.

Scale and Polish

A scale and polish procedure is both a thorough cleaning of your teeth and a preventive treatment.

When plaque forms on the teeth, it can be hard to remove with a manual toothbrush alone. Accumulations of plaque can lead to issues like tooth decay and gum disease, it is important to remove stubborn plaque and tartar.

During a scale and polish, an electric scaler will remove built up plaque or tartar. This will dislodge the plaque on the surface of the teeth and in between the teeth. Next, a hand scaler will be used to remove plaque from between the teeth. Then, a thorough clean or polish is conducted on the teeth, to remove any stubborn surface stains.

Fissure sealants

To prevent tooth decay, our hygienists may apply a sealant to the surface of the tooth, to harden the enamel. It is typically applied to the molar or ‘back’ teeth and is painted on to the tooth.

Topical fluorides

If there is evidence of caries or cavities forming on a tooth, the hygienist will apply a topical fluoride. This will mineralise the tooth and prevent the development of cavities. It also kills cavity causing bacteria on the tooth.

Personalised advice and techniques

If you have braces, you will require specialised cleaning twice a year with a hygienist alongside advice on how to maintain your braces.

This also applies to people with dentures, dental implants, partial bridges or those patients who are diabetic, pregnant or undertaking certain medical therapies or treatments.