Your visit
What happens at a dental hygiene appointment
A dental hygiene appointment is a visit at which a dental hygienist assesses the teeth and gums, removes plaque and tartar, cleans off stains with air polishing, polishes the teeth and shows how to clean them at home. A standard appointment usually lasts about an hour; the procedure itself takes roughly 45 minutes.
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What happens step by step?
- Assessment of the teeth, gums and soft tissues, with a health questionnaire.
- Plaque disclosing: a dye shows the areas missed when brushing.
- Plaque and tartar removal with an ultrasonic scaler and hand instruments.
- Air polishing: fine powder and water remove stains.
- Polishing.
- When needed, fluoride varnish or a desensitising agent.
- Home-care instruction, including interdental brush sizes.
The six steps of a dental hygiene visit in a circle – talk and assessment, plaque disclosing, tartar removal, air polishing, polishing and home-care instruction -
What does it feel like?
Ultrasonic tartar removal is usually felt as vibration and cool water, air polishing as a stream of powder and water, polishing as light rubbing. How much is felt depends on the gums, the amount of tartar and the teeth themselves. Desensitising agents are used for sensitive teeth and, when needed, local anaesthesia; a break can be taken at any point.
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What to do after dental hygiene?
- For a few hours after polishing it is worth avoiding coffee, tea, red wine and berries. This is advice, not a rule.
- After fluoride varnish, soft food is advisable for the rest of the day.
- Gums may feel tender for a few days. Keep brushing as usual with a soft brush and clean between the teeth once a day.
- Bleeding gums usually settle within a couple of weeks of thorough daily cleaning. If they do not, a dentist should take a look.
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How often is it repeated?
Six months is common, but the interval depends on how fast tartar builds up, the gums and whether there are implants or braces. For adults, UK NICE guidance sets the interval between dental check-ups at 3 to 24 months according to risk.
Source: Source 3
A standard appointment usually lasts about an hour; the procedure itself takes roughly 45 minutes.
Common questions
Can you eat before a dental hygiene appointment?
Yes. Eating and drinking as usual is fine, but it helps to brush your teeth before the appointment so that time is not spent removing food. If fluoride varnish is applied, soft food is advisable for the rest of that day, so it is often more comfortable to have a meal beforehand.
Source: Source 1
