Dental teeth cleaning 😬

I actually like going to the hygienist I must be very unusual I go 3 times year £97 pound time

I have also not seen a hygienist for years. It’s a good money spinner in my view.

Explain that your teeth are sensitive and ask for a sedative .
Take it prior to your treatment as advised .
No need to suffer.

I’ve never had my teeth cleaned by a hygienist. After paying nearly £100, how long does the effect last? Can you see when they need doing again? If it hurts I’d suggest it’s harmful.
I clean my teeth twice daily and the dentist always says my teeth are clean.

My hygienist warned that a lot of people do find the procedures painful, and apologised in advance for the fact that it would hurt, but the most painful part for me was the bill (£75 without the water thingy, which I’m having next time for an additional £25). I worry when I have my teeth deep cleaned though as I have two precious veneers on my top front teeth that I’ve had since 1985, and I’d hate to have them dislodged and have to get new ones. My hygienist is careful around them.

The teeth underneath them are very ridged and sensitive, due to teeth cleaning both DH and I had when we lived in Germany. The dentist just used some sort of knife to scrape firmly away at our teeth until we were both left with mouths full of blood, and my teeth with permanent damage. Back in the UK my dentist couldn’t believe the force that dentist must have used. Marathon Man comes to mind!

I always take 2 strong paracetamol half an hour before the appointment, it does take the edge off and the worry

I now ask my hygienist to put on numbing gel on my gums as my teeth are very sensitive and it really does help

Perhaps those in Denmark and Germany look after their teeth better. Brits are well known for not doing so. Also better and more dentists/hygienist availability in those countries. So I don't think it's rude, just an observation.

AuntieE

What on earth are your dentists using?

Neither in Denmark, nor in Germany have I ever experienced the horrors you are talking about, and no-one I have ever known has had a local anataestic in order to have their teeth cleaned.

What an arrogant comment! If you read all the comments you would realise that a lot of people need local anaesthesia for this procedure…..

I had a local anaesthetic for my bottom front teeth to be cleaned, after two years without during Covid, when hygienists were not working. I requested it, my teeth are crowded and it is uncomfortable having somebody work on them for a prolonged time. It made the job much more bearable.

What on earth are your dentists using?

Neither in Denmark, nor in Germany have I ever experienced the horrors you are talking about, and no-one I have ever known has had a local anataestic in order to have their teeth cleaned.

Sheba

My hygienist is lovely and very gentle but after my last scale I developed a very sensitive tooth. In the back of my mind I wondered if it was something that she had done, perhaps damaged the tooth.
I am feeling inclined to cancel my upcoming 6 monthly appointment in case all the pulling and tugging and scraping is actually doing some damage, am I being silly ?

No. After my last cleaning my bottom teeth are now really sensitive and one in particular does ache a bit. Have yet to return for another clean because the dentist had to do a filling as well as a partial cleaning last time. Am going to tell him about the sensitivity and ask if he can use warm water. But am hating the thought of it.

My husband has had to go to the dentist, due to a back tooth chipping - he hasn’t been for 10+ years! He has been given 4 appointments totalling £1,500! Safe to say that he’s learned his lesson now!

My hygienist is lovely and very gentle but after my last scale I developed a very sensitive tooth. In the back of my mind I wondered if it was something that she had done, perhaps damaged the tooth.
I am feeling inclined to cancel my upcoming 6 monthly appointment in case all the pulling and tugging and scraping is actually doing some damage, am I being silly ?

I am quite panicky about the water as I felt like I was drowning once with one dentist. He was doing a filling and 'flirting' with a new dental nurse. Touching her hair, her arm and calling her beautiful and saying I love you in 10 different languages. Also translating each one. She was blushing and looked uneasy. She wasn't concentrating on the suction tube. My lungs, nose and mouth were filling with water and I was coughing and choking for around 10 minutes with him holding a bowl, patting my back and saying Oh madam over and over. He then placed the suction tube and told her to keep it there and completed the filling. Definitely sexual harassment at work. She had already been doing OK before he started 'flirting' I left that practice and never went back.
My dentist now is very nice but tells me to go to the private hygienist. When I say it's included on the NHS she says I need a deeper clean. I don't go as I hate the cleaning anyway.

Try a stain remover. Pearl drop is good. Also, Oral B battery brush is very good at cleaning. I usel in the morning and night time use Oral B medium brush with Colgate white clean.
My dentist said my teeth are excellent and has never suggested the hygienist.

Greenfinch

Do you get an hour for that Chestnut?

It doesn't say. Surely a whole morning for that price? 😮

I am phobic about the hygienist - would rather have teeth extracted. I now go every 3 months and I have injections everywhere first. I know it sounds insane but it’s the only way I can do it!

Do you get an hour for that Chestnut?

Last time I saw the Hygienist was February and it had gone up to £93 but the website is now showing Hygienist costs £141 so I'll have to give that a miss.

Moonwatcher1904

I've been through everything you all have and yes the hygienist was more painful than any of the extractions, fillings and abscesses.
Thank goodness I have a full set of dentures although they haven't been plain sailing. The top set I've had years and so comfortable but I ended up having a new top and bottom set made. They were so thick I ended up buying a metal tool to grind them down myself. I went to the dentist yesterday and she's going to get them to fit better. I still prefer my old top set.

My mother had a new set which were very uncomfortable and went to see a local dental technician who sorted them out far better than her own dentist had ever managed to do.

I go to the hygienist every three months so that there is less cleaning to do, she's very gentle and also smears my gums with an anaesthetic gel a couple of minutes before she starts - at no extra charge! She was away for one of my visits and a very brutal dentist did her job, not pleasant.

I have very sensitive teeth and find the cold water the dentists use when carrying out any procedures agonising. I haven't had them cleaned professionally for some years as I find it so apinful, but I do have twice yearly checkups and he tells me I have a great cleaning routine and don't need the pro clean. I always use a manual extra soft bristle toothbrush and a sensitive toothpaste.

Plevy08
I qualified as a registered dental assistant in 1967. Worked in hospitals and private practice. Couple of years later dental hygienist course came on the scene. Not for me as basically doing scale and polishes in private practices intended to save dentist's time and much cheaper too. Cost paid by NHS for s & p carried out by hygienist was 1/3rd less than dentist. Still not all that popular on NHS. All those comments about "grinding" and needing local anaesthetics are worrying.

An anaesthetic for a clean? Never heard of that. And what on earth is all the grinding going on. What state are the teeth - gums in that need such vicious treatment. I have an appointment next week so going to ask dentist what's going on. Usually have a simple round on the lower jaw of scaling done by hand then an upper and lower jaw round of electric polishing. Takes about 5 mins.