Dental hygiene & therapy
Our dental hygiene & therapy team play just as important a role in supporting you to look after your teeth as our dentists do. Good oral and dental hygiene can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease, which means we can help you keep your teeth for life. Every hygiene visit includes Guided Biofilm Therapy using AIRFLOW®, a gentle and very thorough clean. Registered members of our practice have hygiene appointments included in their membership plans; non-members can book a one-off appointment.
Dental hygiene – our approach to gum disease
Gum disease (periodontal disease) is relatively common occurring in 10-15% of adults. However, in the wider public, it is often not diagnosed until the more advanced stages.
As the gums are the foundation of your teeth, it is critical that they remain healthy. It is a sad fact that more teeth are lost to gum disease than dental decay. It is also essential that the gums are in the best health possible before any more advanced restorative dentistry can be carried out.
Our dental membership plans support our preventive ethos. Your dental therapist or dentist will screen your gums for any signs of deterioration at every oral health visit. That means, if necessary, we can catch problems early to support a return to health. We offer these dental hygiene appointments as part of your membership. This is one way we help you to keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy.
Patients who are not members of our practice can also book a hygiene appointment.
Book an appointment online
Hygiene visits can be booked online by members and new patients. (Your membership plan includes your hygiene visits, and you’re welcome to book an extra one whenever you like.)
Guided Biofilm Therapy with AIRFLOW®
Ideal: for stubborn staining including smokers’ teeth staining. Also a great way to kick-start teeth whitening. The treatment leaves your mouth and teeth feeling beautifully clean.
Includes: gum assessment, preventive oral advice and a full mouth Cavitron debride and a full mouth Airflow air polish (Guided Biofilm Therapy).
Length: 30-minute appointment
Dental therapy
Our dental therapists have enhanced knowledge and training. You can meet them all on our Meet the team page.
As well as providing oral health assessments and hygiene treatments, they also carry out many of the same treatments as dentists.
All of these treatments are carried out at our Scottish Borders dental clinic.
These include:
- providing preventive oral care to reduce the risk of disease
- smoking cessation advice
- carrying out oral cancer screening
- prescribing and recording radiographs (x-rays)
- photographs
- taking scans for whitening trays and mouthguards
- children’s dentistry including fissure sealants, children’s crowns, fillings and extractions
- working with your dentist during the tooth whitening process
- routine fillings on adult teeth
- care of implants
