A hygiene appointment is not the same as the quick clean you get at your check-up. Our hygienist uses Guided Biofilm Therapy with AIRFLOW to remove the bacteria, staining and hardened deposits that cause gum disease, decay and bad breath — gently, thoroughly, and with advice tailored to your mouth.
Book a hygiene appointmentHygienist or dentist?There’s an important difference between the clean you might have during your dental examination and a dedicated hygiene appointment. When the dentist cleans your teeth, the purpose is functional — removing enough plaque and build-up to see the teeth and gums clearly so they can examine them properly and check for any problems. It’s a means to an end, not a treatment in itself.
A hygiene appointment is something quite different. Our hygienist’s role is to actively improve your oral health. Using Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) — a modern, gentle approach that includes AIRFLOW and targeted cleaning — they remove the bacterial biofilm, staining and hardened deposits that cause gum disease, decay and bad breath. This is what allows us to reverse early gum disease and keep more advanced cases stable and under control. Just as importantly, they’ll show you how to look after your teeth and gums at home, tailored to your mouth, so the results last between visits.
Examines your teeth and gums, spots decay, cracks and wear, takes X-rays, and carries out fillings, crowns and other restorative work. Any cleaning at a check-up is there to clear the way for a proper examination.
Removes the plaque, tartar and biofilm your toothbrush can’t reach, treats the gum line, tracks the health of your gums over time, and coaches you on a home routine that actually works for your mouth.
In short: the dentist cleans so they can see; the hygienist cleans so your mouth gets healthier.
The two work hand in hand. A dentist identifies problems; a hygienist removes the build-up that causes those problems in the first place. If you only ever see the dentist and skip the hygienist, you are managing consequences rather than preventing them. That’s why we’d always recommend keeping up with your hygiene visits as the foundation of long-term oral health.
The baseline appointment for healthy mouths: ultrasonic scaling to break down tartar, hand instruments to clear the gum line, and polishing to lift surface staining. It restores the natural surface of your teeth — it isn’t whitening, but teeth usually look noticeably brighter afterwards.
From £100Guided Biofilm Therapy using EMS AIRFLOW is the clinical step up from a standard clean. A controlled jet of warm water, air and fine powder removes biofilm and staining far more gently than traditional scaling, and reaches places instruments struggle with — around orthodontic brackets, implants and tight contacts. Ideal for sensitive teeth and stubborn coffee, tea or tobacco staining.
£195For active gum disease, treatment goes further. Root surface debridement cleans beneath the gum line to remove bacteria from the root, and pocket charting tracks the depth of the gum tissue around each tooth across visits. This is a course of appointments rather than a single clean, with structured coaching on technique, interdental brushes and the habits affecting your gum health.
From £150 per visitFull pricing for hygiene and periodontal care is on our fees page. A written estimate is provided before any course of treatment begins.
Most patients find the experience far more comfortable than they expected, particularly with modern techniques. A little sensitivity afterwards is normal and usually settles within 24 hours.
Your hygienist reviews your medical history and any medications that can affect gum health, then charts the depth of the gum tissue around each tooth. For a new patient this creates a baseline; for returning patients it shows clearly whether things are improving.
Biofilm is disclosed so it can be seen and targeted, then removed with AIRFLOW, followed by ultrasonic and hand scaling for any hardened deposits. Where there is active gum disease, cleaning goes beneath the gum line, usually with local anaesthetic to keep you comfortable.
This is what separates a thorough hygiene appointment from a quick clean. Your hygienist shows you exactly where plaque is collecting on your teeth, demonstrates the right technique for your mouth, and recommends the correct interdental brush sizes for your gaps — not generic advice.
For patients with healthy gums and low decay risk, twice a year is the standard interval — one visit alongside your dental check-up and one mid-year. This keeps plaque and tartar at manageable levels and gives your hygienist enough contact to spot changes early. Some patients with excellent home care extend to once a year, but that should be agreed with your dental team rather than assumed.
For families, hygiene visits from an early age build the habits that carry into adulthood, and the hygienist is well placed to flag early orthodontic concerns before they develop.
This is clinical risk management, not upselling. If you fall into any of these groups, a twice-yearly schedule is unlikely to be enough, and your hygienist will recommend an interval that fits your mouth.
Our hygienist and dentists work side by side. If your hygienist notices early decay, enamel wear or gum inflammation during a clean, the next step is arranged within the same practice — not a separate booking weeks later somewhere else. Hygiene findings feed directly into your treatment plan.
We use Guided Biofilm Therapy with EMS AIRFLOW as standard for our hygiene appointments, so cleaning is more thorough and far more comfortable than traditional scraping — especially if you have sensitive teeth, implants or braces.
Every hygienist in the UK must be registered with the General Dental Council, and you can verify ours on the GDC public register in a few minutes. Our hygienist holds professional indemnity cover and keeps up to date with the latest evidence in periodontal care.
Yes. A hygiene appointment is not a substitute for your examination — the hygienist doesn’t diagnose decay, carry out fillings or take the clinical decisions that sit with your dentist. The two are equally important, and most patients need both.
For most people, no. AIRFLOW is noticeably gentler than traditional scaling, and if treatment needs to go beneath the gum line we can use local anaesthetic. Some sensitivity for a day afterwards is normal.
A hygiene clean removes surface staining, so teeth usually look brighter, but it doesn’t change the underlying shade of the tooth. If you want a whiter result, a hygiene visit is the ideal first step before teeth whitening so the result is even.
Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) is a structured, evidence-based protocol developed by EMS. Plaque is first disclosed with a dye so you and your hygienist can see exactly where it is, then removed with AIRFLOW — a fine, warm jet of water, air and powder — before any remaining hardened deposits are cleared with ultrasonic instruments. You can read more on the official Guided Biofilm Therapy website.
Yes. You can book a hygiene appointment online or by contacting the practice, and we’ll help you work out the right starting point — whether that’s a routine clean, gum treatment, or a full assessment with one of our dentists first.
Whether it’s been six months or six years, our hygienist will meet you where you are — no judgement, just a clear plan to get your gums healthy and keep them that way.
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