FAQs
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How do I maintain good dental hygiene?
By following an effective daily dental hygiene routine at home, at the interval recommended for you, and taking on board relevant dietary advice.
Why is dental hygiene important?
Maintaining good dental hygiene will go a long way towards reducing the risk of gum disease.
This not only affects your mouth and teeth: if associated bacteria are allowed to enter your bloodstream, they can cause serious problems throughout your body. It is also proven that poor dental health can contribute to cardiovascular disease and strokes.
Poor gum health in pregnant women is associated with an increased risk of pre-term and low birth weight babies.
Can poor dental hygiene cause heart disease?
Yes. A number of cardiovascular conditions such as atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) and stroke have been linked to inflammation caused by oral bacteria.
What should I expect at my first dental hygiene appointment?
Our hygienist will check your teeth and gums, assess and record the level of your oral health. They will also discuss and advise on diet, how to establish a good oral health regime at home, and how best to use relevant tools (brushes, interdental aids etc).
What do I do if my tooth is knocked out?
Check the patient has no other more serious immediate injury eg loss of consciousness. As soon as possible, if the patient can be trusted not to swallow it, store it in their cheek pouch to keep it safe, and avoid it drying out. An alternative to this is to put the tooth in a small container of milk. Pick up by the crown of the tooth (not the root). Schedule an emergency appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.
Top Tooth-care Tips for Adults
Brushing
Brush your teeth for 2 minutes, twice a day. The British Dental Association recommend once before bedtime and one other time of the day.
It is important to angle the bristles at 45 degrees to your gums.
Don’t rinse your mouth out after brushing otherwise you wash away all the fluoride toothpaste and minimise its benefits.
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
Use an oscillating and rotating electric toothbrush: these are clinically proven to remove more plaque than manual toothbrushes.
Use a regular fluoride toothpaste with no less than 1350ppm fluoride (you’ll find this information on the tube, usually under ‘ingredients’)
Additional Care
Use inter-dental cleaning aids, such as TePe brushes, to remove the plaque and bacteria from in-between your teeth. It is important to do this every day as part of your oral hygiene routine, as this is where around 90% of dental problems appear.
Reducing the bacteria levels in your mouth lowers the risk of tooth decay and gum disease
Sugary Snacks
To help prevent cavities, try to keep all sugars to meal times. If you do snack between meals, stay with healthy options such as cucumber, carrot sticks, cheese chunks & nuts.
Regular Check-Ups
Make regular appointments with your dentist and hygienist: preventing problems is better than curing them!
Our Policies & Legal Obligations
Cancellation Policy
To help us keep our currently competitive fees as affordable as possible please give us at least 24 hours notice if you need to amend your appointment with a dentist (48 hours for an appointment with a hygienist) otherwise a fee may be charged for the lost clinical time.
Payment Methods
We require payment on the day of treatment. For some treatments a deposit is required.
Payments can be made by debit or credit cards, cash or cheque.
Complaints Procedure
We take complaints seriously and we try to ensure that all patients are pleased with their experience of our service. When patients complain, they are dealt with courteously and promptly so that the matter is resolved as quickly as possible.
We have a complaints procedure in place.
Complaints should be addressed either verbally, in writing, or by email to Krissie Mayhew (Practice Manager) or Helen Harris (Practice Owner).
Registrations
The Practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission and all clinical staff are registered with the General Dental Council www.gdc-uk.org.