You should visit the hygiene team for the removal of hard and soft plaque deposits at the recommended intervals and this will depend on the status of your gum and dental health. We advise you to brush your teeth, including the gums twice a day, the evening brush is most important.

Clean between the teeth before your evening brush, Interdental brushes work really well. Change your toothbrush head every three months. If your gums bleed, pay special attention to cleaning around that area and bring to the attention of your hygienist.

Smokers are far more at risk of Periodontitis, so quit while you’re ahead!

Disclosing tablets can help you identify plaque that you’ve missed so test yourself regularly at home. To use these:

1) After your evening cleaning regime, chew the tablet until it turns to liquid, swish this around with your tongue.

2) Swill once with water and see what you’ve missed!

Many of our patients visit us for cosmetic treatments. We put great emphasis on the importance of a healthy mouth and achieving this before going ahead with any other treatments. Once firm foundations and a stable environment are established, we have the confidence to provide long lasting dentistry whist minimising the occurrence of preventable disease in the future.

Gum Disease is an infection of the gums. It is caused by plaque, a sticky film that collects on teeth and gums.

When plaque is missed it will cause disease. Red, puffy bleeding gums are all signs of gum disease. Toxins released by bacteria within plaque cause inflammation of the gums.

Gingivitis is a reversible form of gum disease; Periodontitis displays permanent damage.

Both forms can be treated at the practice, but this must be supplemented with gold standard homecare. 

Gingivitis can progress to form Periodontitis, where the gums pull away from the teeth. This results in an infection that destroys the surrounding bone, forming a gap between the gum and tooth surface known as a pocket, where further plaque and tarter will form. As more bone is lost, teeth will become loose, leading to premature tooth loss.