Scale and Polish - NHS Dentist

alwayssmile123

Hi All,
I've just visited a dentist for the first time in years. I was told i need fillings and that I had gum disease. and I also asked to have the stains behind my teeth removed, which she said she would do, but she recommended a thorough Scale and Polish with would have to be done privately by the hygienist for £60 and that it wasn't available on the NHS as it is cosmetic. Does anyone know if this is correct? I would have thought the gum disease would have made this available on the NHS.

Many thanks

brook2jack2

Yes your gum disease should be treated on the nhs, however if you want staining removing that will be private as it is cosmetic.

 Treatment of gum disease is 80%your effort and 20% the dentist. 

You will be advised to give up smoking , if you do, and to control your diabetes if you have it.

The next most important thing is to clean effectively , brushing gums as well as teeth, and use interdental cleaning aids like tepe brushes every day, effectively. 

The dentist will remove tartar but without effective cleaning on your part the tartar will start to reform within 48 hours and scaling will have had no effect on your oral health.

cleaning behind your front teeth will have no effect on your oral health, it's what you are doing with cleaning that is important.

alfmurph

i got free descale and polish for many years free from nhs dentist . He changed my cleaning from six month's to three as he said i created a hell of a lot of saliva . Still completely free . He retired so i found a new practice .
This dentist was in the top ten in scotland for extra charges as i found out .
They did the free descale and polish but said i had gum disease and needed a more intense cleaning every 3 month's for which they charge £22 .
Still with them but i am looking around .

alwayssmile123

thanks for the responses. Seems I am just going to have to pay. I've seen some deals on Groupon for £30, so at half the price, that seems the way forward.

roddydogs

£22 for a hygienist is very cheap, mine is nearly £60!, btw having a hygienist will not remove stains, you will need whitening for that.

brook2jack2

£27.68 is a NHS Scotland charge for treatment of gum disease . In Scotland dentists are still paid per item of treatment rather than in bands. 

If you pay for treatment scaling has never been free in Scotland since the nineties. 

alwayssmile123

Interestingly, the dentist didn't say she would do any treatment for the gum disease, just that she would be doing the filings and removing the tartar at the back and also that i should floss, which I am now doing. Should I be asking any questions regarding the gum disease?

brook2jack2

Take your toothbrush in with you next visit , check it is right size and you are using it properly. Ask about interdental brushes/tepe brushes you need to clean between your teeth every day, get your flossing and tepe use checked to make sure you are doing it right.  Gum disease is treated , mostly, by you . It needs meticulous cleaning , stop smoking , if you smoke, and get diabetes under control if that applies.

alwayssmile123

Many thanks Brook