Imagine if your mouth was a cooker. You’d probably give it a good wipe over if you see a spill, or after cooking. But would you go for over a year or maybe even two without giving it a deep clean? Imagine the bugs that can build up when you don’t. Once you start poking about in the nooks and crannies, there’s a lot of nasty crusty bits and slimy things that can harbour germs and cause disease. That’s why you give it a really good going over every few months. That’s what you should also be doing for your teeth.

If you are a diligent person, you probably already brush your teeth twice a day with a good fluoride toothpaste for around two minutes each time, and finish up with flossing between each of your teeth to remove any extra stuck bits of food and plaque. And this is really great. But it doesn’t get rid of everything. Plaque will continue to build up in nooks and crannies where the teeth touch, and along the gum line, no matter how carefully you brush.

The consequences of plaque

Plaque starts off as sticky film. That film is bacteria, growing on the surfaces of the teeth, gums and any artificial things like crowns and dental implants. The bacteria are not harmful in themselves. But, if you don’t remove the plaque with brushing, it gets thicker and the bacteria nearest the tooth, at the bottom of the thickening film, get their energy by feeding off sugars in the mouth, and then they release acid. The acid eats into your tooth enamel and can start to decay the insides of your teeth.

Plaque on the gums can cause inflammation and, if left untreated, can then attack the bone under the gum.

This will happen however often you brush your teeth. Just like a deep clean in your oven or fridge, you need to get your mouth deep cleaned about twice a year.

When you come to us at Amsel & Wilkins in Banbury, hygienists clean and polish your teeth using special equipment and pastes that ensure that every bit of plaque is removed. It may take more than one appointment if you have a particularly bad build-up of plaque.

Part of a good dental maintenance routine is coming to see the dentist for a check-up at least twice a year. Depending on the state of your oral health, your dentist at Amsel & Wilkins may recommend that you come more often.

Another important part of dental maintenance is keeping your teeth clean and free from plaque and gum disease. Your part in this is to carefully clean and floss your teeth at least twice a day, with a good fluoride toothpaste, dental floss, and possibly also interdental brushes.

If you can keep plaque under control then it has less chance to develop into hard tartar, which leads to tooth decay and gum disease. It also gets rid of food trapped between the teeth, which can also lead to decay.

That’s your part at home. At the dentist, you will need a check-up from the dentist and to see our hygienists who clean and polish your teeth twice a year.

Our hygienists

At Amsel & Wilkins, we have five hygienists: Magda Mararu, Sharon Buick, Louise Hirons, Emma Godwin, and Claire Bloxham. Each of them has been through two years of training to earn a diploma in dental hygiene. They are trained to provide primary dental care, including: scaling and polishing teeth, using dental local anaesthesia, applying topical medicaments, taking dental x-rays, applying fissure sealants and giving oral health advice.

Hygienists clean and polish teeth far more thoroughly than you can do at home, even with the most sophisticated electric toothbrushes.

The scale and polish

This is what gets your teeth really clean. Our hygienists clean and polish your teeth with special equipment and pastes. Depending on how long it is since you had a scale and polish, you might need to have a double appointment. You might also need more time if you are a smoker, as tobacco builds up stains on the teeth.

How to brush your teeth

Our hygienists can also give you good information on the latest and best ways to brush your teeth at home. Are you holding your brush correctly? Are you brushing in the right direction? Knowing how can make all the difference.