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When should you see a hygienist? Our dentist answers

dentist-in-ipswich

Are you worried that you may have gum disease? Or do you have persistent bad breath that won’t shift?

If the answer to either (or both) of these is yes, maybe it is time to see a hygienist!

At Quest Dental, we can offer you a thorough dental cleaning from both our dentist in Ipswich and our hygienist, ensuring that your oral health remains in top-notch condition and that your smile is healthy. Great!

Here, our dentist in Ipswich looks at 4 common signs that you may need to book a hygienist appointment. Enjoy!

Bad breath

OK, so it is a social faux pas for a reason, but bad breath is one of the key signs that it may be time to book yourself in for a hygienist appointment.

While our dentist in Ipswich can help to alleviate bad breath, our hygienist can do more, as they have the tools and the know-how to combat the causes of bad breath if they are linked to plaque, inflammation or infections.

With a scale and polish, our hygienist can remove plaque from above and below the gum line, leaving you with fresher smelling breath and a healthier smile. Great!

Tartar

When a dental team talks about plaque, they are describing a naturally-occurring biofilm that forms on your teeth after you eat.

Try to remember the last time you ate a bar of chocolate; did your teeth feel rough or furry afterwards? That is plaque and, with regular dental hygiene, you can keep it at bay and prevent it from developing into tooth decay or gum disease.

But there is something else that plaque can turn into if it is left unchecked; tartar. This is a calcified version of plaque, which traps all of the bacteria in one place, allowing it to eat away at the enamel on your teeth.

When you have tartar, no amount of brushing at home is going to be able to remove it. Instead, our hygienist can use their tools to remove tartar from your teeth by gently grinding it off. This will remove all of the associated health risks of having tartar and restore your teeth to their previous great looking selves!

Yellow or stained teeth

Daily life is full of acids and tannins; if you drink a cup of tea or coffee once a day, chances are your teeth are not shining white. And with more people working longer hours, more people are consuming stimulants and sugar, which can cause the teeth to turn yellow or stained.

Once again, a scale and polish can help; this procedure doesn’t just remove plaque, but it can be used to whiten your teeth and remove stubborn staining.

Gum disease

One of the most popular reasons to see a hygienist is, of course, to treat gum disease.

If you spit blood when you brush, have sensitive gums, are currently pregnant or just have a family history of gum disease, you should book yourself in to see our hygienist at least once a year.

As mentioned before, this will allow us to remove the plaque that causes gum disease and ensure that your mouth is kept in good condition, without extensive damage being caused to it by bacteria. Great!

How can we help?