No one wants to go to dental check-ups more than they have to, but putting things off until symptoms become intrusive can often be counterproductive. We centre our care around hygiene and prevention because this minimises the need for intervention at our dentist in Marylebone. 
The core of dental hygiene is to maintain a low bacterial load in the mouth and minimise the build-up of plaque. If left, in time it will calcify into tartar and provide the optimal conditions for cavities and decay.
Our role at Plowman & Partners, as a community dental clinic, is to maximise the health and wellbeing of all our patients and this involves modifying our treatment procedures to meet patients’ needs.
Education of younger patients
The education of young patients is one of the central pillars of what we do at our dentist in Marylebone and as simple or fundamental as it may seem, a heartfelt and and direct conversation creates a trusting relationship, that avoids many future treatments and introduces one of the first responsibilities in a child’s life; regular brushing of their teeth!
By using age-specific language and clear instructions, we pride ourselves on communicating with our patients of all ages in an engaging and enjoyable way.
Obstacles to dental hygiene
Obstacles to dental hygiene are tricky, and some of the most significant hurdles are phobias and anxiety related to the profession itself, or the individual patient’s perceived dental health. Often there are complicated feelings around receiving treatment, or how they will be assessed by our team. But we’re here to help and whatever ideas you might have about your oral health, we have almost certainly come across more complex cases at our dentist in Marylebone.
Recovery and reconstruction
When some of the preventive safeguards around oral health have been missed, recovery and reconstruction provide the next priority; stabilising any active decay and returning the function and appearance of your smile, along with establishing new maintenance routines. It can be genuinely surprising how much function can be returned and its overall effect on your self-esteem and everyday life can be extremely beneficial..
The most common issue with consistently limited oral hygiene is gum disease, which slowly creeps on and can easily catch up to patients who have often missed check-ups. Recovery can take many months if not overseen by our team and the extent of gum recession can also threaten the stability of the patient’s teeth.
Use of flossing and water picks
Flossing and water picks have the advantage of thoroughly removing plaque build-up from below the gum line and can be an important part of maintaining gum health, ensuring that tartar does not form in open gum pockets. Neither water picks or flossing are good at removing the bacterial film that develops across the surface of the tooth and are, therefore, ancillary to brushing rather than a replacement.
Guidance is an important aspect of recovery from gum disease, which has a long treatment process, requiring consistent diligence and support at our surgery. Hygienist appointments can be extremely useful in monitoring and maintaining that consistency of your gums, and should be on par with dental check-ups in cases of active gum disease.