Dental Hygiene

At The Smile & Implant Centre, we want to help you to increase your self confidence by improving your smile with appropriate dental treatment based on a foundation of good dental health.

We employ two well qualified and highly experienced dental hygienists who provide cohesive, continuous care for The Smile & Implant Centre's patients.

What is a Dental Hygienist?

The primary role of a hygienist is to promote good oral health and to help patients achieve and maintain this ideal. A dental hygienist trains for two years to achieve their professional qualification before working with one or more dentists.

A dental hygienist aims to prevent dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal (gum) disease.

What Does a Dental Hygienist Do?

The preventative activities of a dental hygienist include:

• Providing dietary and oral hygiene advice to all people and all ages, in the dental surgery and in various community environments (e.g. playgroups, youth groups and residential homes).


• Giving smoking cessation advice and support.


• Providing fissure sealants to children to protect their teeth from dental caries.

The treatments a dental hygienist might provide include:

• Scaling and polishing i.e. cleaning above and below the gums to remove tartar (calculus) which has built up around the teeth, and polish off any surface stains.


• Giving injections to enable a pain-free experience when undertaking periodontal treatment.


• Replacing a filling if it is dislodged during treatment.


• Taking X-rays (radiographs).

Visiting a Dental Hygienist
If you are a member of our Dental Care Plan, your policy will include regular appointments with one of our dental hygienists. These appointments will last approximately 20 minutes. First your hygienist will check your medical history to ensure that any treatment she undertakes will not cause you any health problems.

She may use a coloured dye to show any plaque on your teeth, highlighting areas which might have been missed by regular brushing and flossing. She may then offer appropriate oral hygiene advice to supplement your daily regime.

Your hygienist will use a rounded probe to measure the gaps between your gums and teeth and explore whether any periodontal disease is present. If so, she will undertake any treatment necessary to prevent the disease from progressing.

Your gum condition will be monitored by your hygienist to ensure regular oral maintenance. She will also encourage you to take advantage of your regular three- or six- monthly scale and polish to maintain healthy gums.

At The Smile & Implant Centre, we stock an extensive range of dental care products. Each item has been carefully rated, and Beverley or Carolyn will be happy to advise on the best products for you.

Book Your Dental Hygiene Appointment

To book your dental hygiene appointment call The Smile & Implant Centre, dentist in Leicester, on 0116 254 1298.