Have you ever wondered why you need to regularly check in with your dental hygienist? Read on to find out why hygiene appointments are such an important part of looking after your oral health.

Why do I need to see a dental hygienist? I already go to my dentist every six months.

It’s definitely important to keep seeing your dentist every six months, as they’ll be able to assess the health of your teeth and carry out any treatments – but it’s so important to make time for dental hygiene appointments too. A dental hygienist is specially trained to professionally clean your teeth and gums and to show you to keep your mouth healthy.

At a dedicated hygiene appointment, a dental hygienist can spend longer with you to thoroughly remove plaque that builds up on your teeth and to explain how you can stop it from returning. The quote ‘prevention is better than cure’ is the perfect description of what a dental hygienist does, because their key role is to help you prevent gum disease or tooth decay.

Each patient needs bespoke advice to suit their own oral hygiene needs. Whether you need a few tips on flossing, a recommendation for the best electric toothbrush to choose, advice on which toothpaste to buy, or an explanation of how interdental brushes work, then your hygienist is on hand to help. They can also talk to you about your diet, so if you’re worried that your food and drink habits might be damaging your teeth, ask your hygienist for advice.

At Honour Health, our hygienist uses a state of the art EMS Airflow hygiene system for the best professional clean possible.

What is the EMS Airflow hygiene system and why is it better than a traditional scale and polish?

The EMS Airflow hygiene system fires a powerful jet of water, compressed air and fine powder at the teeth to quickly and effectively remove plaque and soft deposits. It is much faster and more efficient than a traditional scale and polish – and it’s painless.

Nothing compares to Airflow for getting rid of plaque, as it’s the only system that cleans sub-gingivally (underneath the gum line) for a really thorough clean. Despite its power to blast away plaque, Airflow is a gentle, comfortable treatment and is ideal for anyone with sensitive teeth.

If you’re a fan of tea, coffee or red wine, then you’ll be pleased to know that Airflow is also hugely effective for removing staining, revealing a brighter smile. No amount of brushing is going to lift staining from these drinks, but an Airflow session will blast those stains away in no time.

How often should I see my dental hygienist?

We ask our patients to see our dental hygienist for an Airflow treatment at least every six months to maintain clean, healthy teeth and gums. No matter how angelic you are with your oral hygiene routine, there will always be some hard to reach areas that a dental hygienist can clean better than you.

If you’re thinking about having your teeth whitened, then we recommend that you book an Airflow treatment before beginning any teeth whitening process, as this will lift staining and help to achieve better results.

For anyone who is having orthodontic treatment such as Invisalign, then it is especially important to have regular Airflow treatments to thoroughly clean around any attachments, brackets or wires.  

In a nutshell, there’s no better hygiene option than a professional Airflow treatment with a dental hygienist. Once you try it, you won’t look back – and your mouth will thank you for it!

Interested in booking an Airflow hygiene treatment? We offer Airflow at our three clinics – in Jesmond (call 0191 281 3913 or email jesmond@honourhealth.co.uk), Stanley (call 01207 232 725 or email stanley@honourhealth.co.uk) and Ponteland (call 01661 821 412 or email ponteland@honourhealth.co.uk).