Dental hygiene and gum health
The foundation everything else sits on.
Healthy gums come before cosmetic work, always. Hygiene appointments here include Airflow — a warm water, air and fine-powder spray that lifts staining and plaque far more comfortably than scraping.
Hygiene & gum health with Dr Sundeep Solanki, GDC 212282 — 2 London Road, Twickenham, London TW1 3RY.
Who it suits
When hygiene & gum health is the right answer
If something simpler or less expensive would serve you better, that is what we will recommend at the consultation — and we will show you the fees for both.
- Bleeding when you brush or floss
- Staining from tea, coffee or smoking
- Bad breath that will not shift
- Gums that have receded
- Preparing for whitening, bonding or veneers
- Keeping implants and crowns healthy long term
How treatment works
Step by step, no surprises
Measure
Gum pockets charted so there is a number to improve on, not just an impression. You see the readings yourself.
Clean
Airflow to lift staining and biofilm, ultrasonic scaling where deposits are harder, all under local anaesthetic if you would prefer.
Maintain
A realistic home routine and a recall interval that matches your risk — three, four or six months, not a default six for everyone.
From the journal
Read before you decide
What a clean can and cannot change, and how appointments are adapted if you find them difficult.
Teeth whitening: what actually works, and what only looks like it does
Charcoal, purple toothpaste, salon sessions in a shopping centre. A dentist's view of what changes the colour of a tooth and what merely changes the photograph.
Read the guideIf you are nervous about the dentist, read this first
A significant part of the practice is people who have not been seen in years. Nothing about that is unusual, and nothing about it is judged.
Read the guideCommon questions
Hygiene & gum health, answered honestly
How often should I see a hygienist?
Every six months suits most people; every three or four if you have gum disease, smoke, or have implants to look after. We will recommend an interval based on your readings.
Does Airflow hurt?
Far less than traditional scaling. It is warm water and fine powder rather than metal on tooth, and most patients find it comfortable enough to relax through.
Can gum disease be reversed?
Early gum inflammation, yes — usually completely. Bone already lost to advanced disease cannot be regrown, but the disease can be stopped and the teeth kept.
Before you decide
Risks and alternatives
Like any dental treatment, hygiene & gum health carries risks, and whether it suits you depends on a full examination. Things to weigh up can include sensitivity, the need for maintenance or replacement in future, and whether healthy tooth structure has to be altered.
Alternatives may include a less invasive option, a different treatment, or no treatment at all. Your written plan sets out the risks, alternatives and fees that apply to you before you decide.