Interdental cleaning,

I recently had a deep clean at my dentist, was not very pleasant but he did get rid of a build up of tartar on my bottom teeth. I also purchased a Sulcabrush off Amazon as I can't get on with those Tepe brushes or floss and it's quite good and was only around £5.

My dentist stopped doing NHS and did either private or Denplan which I pay for monthly. This includes two dentist checkups per year, 2 hygienist appointments per year and fillings and other small jobs. It does not include crowns which I had to pay for, £150. I've always had bad teetch.
The hygienist recommends using an electric toothbrush and these plastic sticks like toothpicks, but I use floss as well. The dental receptionist rings you the day before the appointment and asks a list of Covid questions. On the day of the appointment you have to go round the back of the building and wait outside. Then another person comes out and asks you another lot of Covid questions. Then you can go in with mask on, sanitise your hands and have your temperature checked. Once in the room the hygienist has an air purifier machine and is dressed like a spaceman. She has a huge thing on her head like an underwater diver with a crinkled tube out the back (like on a tumble dryer), plastic clothing and apron, plastic gloves etc. She is never critical, just advises, but the whole procedure is like torture.

Jillyjosie

I am still smarting from being criticised by the hygienist for not cleaning between my teeth properly which seemed to rest on the fact that the gap between my teeth was widening. This means more plaque I think.
She actually insinuated that I was lying about using an electric toothbrush did an elaborate demonstration (on me) of how to press lightly on the gum with the tooth brush in small steps and not use the brush as a brush, if you see what I mean. I left with yet more small brushes and a three month next appointment rather than six month.
I'm still furious because I have always looked carefully after my teeth and presumably changes that happen with age are what they are and it's the job of these people to sort it out.
There are so many expectations these days of things that we are supposed to do to suit one professional or another. How did our parents ever survive!

A hygienist once told me that the amount of plaque you get on your teeth varies from person to person so it sounds as if your hygienist is being very judgmental. She said it is to do with the amount of saliva you generate. I also prefer the interdental brushes but the water flosser sounds good although perhaps not suitable for sensitive teeth like mine.

My ex dentist told me my teeth were filthy. I had only been to his hygienist three weeks before!

Interesting Franbern
I compare Dentists with Roofers in the sense that you have to believe what they say as you cannot inspect your own teeth/roof.
I left my previous Dentist when it went Private but now my NHS one is charging me private rates. He says it's because he refused to conform to the NHS covid rules ie the PPE didn't fit him.

A while back I was referred to the Dental hospital for a particularly difficult root canal operation and that was brilliant and completely free. A supervised student saved a tooth and a viscous hygienist set me straight with brushing and flossing etc.but alas since then I have become less thorough and as the gums recede, the teeth drop out.
My teeth also break quite easily especially eating muesli

Have always used NHS dentists - but the Hygenist at the practice had to be paid for separately - and expensively. Four years ago, the last time I went to one, I was charged one hundred pounds for the appointment. There she tried to clean my teeth with a water flosser which caused me so much pain, that she told me to make another appointment where she gave me loads of local anaesthetic (and a charge of a further hundred pounds).

However, not sure what she did, - if she put those injections in badly, or what, - but for the next week my mouth was so sore and swollen I could barely eat. Decided then and there, NEVER EVER again to go to hygenist.

Since then, I have been very careful with my own tooth hygeine. Electric toothbrush, held on each side of each tooth for between 5-10 seconds (twice a day), interdental brushes once a day (three different sizes), water flosser once a day. Do NOT rinse toothpaste out of my mouth - let it stay there to do its work.

Since then, have had no real problems, My last check-up (different dentist), found NO PROBLEMS - even with the tooth, that four years ago I was told I would need to have taken out immediately.

I am totally unimpressed with this hygenist lark - just seems to be another way of taking our money.

Many many decades ago, hubbie was unemployed, we had six young children, - I juggled the small amount of money we had to ensure children were always fed well, and reasonably clothed. Needed filling replaced in tooth, went to Dentist to have that done and was told that if I did not make an appointment (then £15) with their new hygenist, then the gum disease dentist told me I had would cause me to painfully lose all my teeth within five years. No way could I spend that sort of money, and left there in tears. That was over forty years ago, and no gum disease has appeared.

I cannot get on with the tepee (sp?) brushes, I seem to bend them out of shape with first time I use one! So I use little plastic brushes, floss picks and an electric toothbrush.

I have never seen a hygienist so I guess my dentist must be pleased with my cleaning. I did have a spell of getting gum infections which led to three extractions over 18 months but two different dentists could not understand why I was getting infections so badly and I was even tested for diabetes in case that was the problem.

I’ve been able to find an NHS dentist near me, I was seeing one but they moved locations and I could no longer access the practice as it was upstairs with no car park. My new dentist is a mixed practice, NHS and private but the NHS appointments are becoming difficult to get as one dentist left and they cannot replace her so I have had appointments cancelled.

I think the electric toothbrush which times me, ie it buzzes after 20 secs then switches off briefly after four cycles, has helped my dental hygiene. It also has a red light which flashes if I press too hard. I also don’t eat hard sweets, toffees or chewing gum!!

I’m surprised your hygienist suggested you don’t use an interdental water flosser for your sensitive teeth. I had issues from my gums bleeding etc, and sensitivity and I swapped to an water flosser and use on the sensitive setting. That and changing to a electric toothbrush and my teeth/gums are healthy again!

Those Tepe interdental tooth cleaners are good

I'm afraid my dentist is private. When we moved house, the local NHS dentist had a six month waiting list. We pay the extortionate fee of £72 a month to Denplan for six monthly tooth care, hygienist included and for fillings etc. I haven't claimed a penny because I look after my teeth and we spent a whole year of lockdown with the dentist hiding from Covid. No refunds......grr indeed.

I'm envious you are able to see a dentist!

I am envious that you are able to see a hygienist. My Dentist does not clean teeth and the hygienist attached to the practice has not worked throughout Lockdown.
I am not as good at cleaning as I should be although I have flossed and used the interdental brushes (and an electric water flosser) for years. The result: abscesses and extractions. Be warned.
Mind you, I think my problems are genetic as my DM lost her teeth when she was my age

Grrr, hygienists. I think they have to justify the high price we pay to see one. Mine went into a rant about my dental hygiene when I know perfectly well I use a water jetter, a toothbrush and flosser as well as mouthwash, twice a day. I was so cross and I told her so. I saw her again a month later and she went on and on about how 'improved' my tooth hygiene was since I had 'taken her advice'. Silly woman. And I had to pay her £57 to hear all that.

My hygienist has asked me to use the brushes rather than the tape I had been using. She said tape is only good for cleaning between tight gaps and does nothing for wider ones.

shoppinggirl

The Waterpik water flosser is better than interdental brushes or floss. It's a cordless and only needs charging about once a week. My dentist recommended it and it was a very good buy! Your mouth feels as good as it does when you've just been to the hygenist!

It isn’t better, it doesn’t remove plaque (which interdental brushes will do), it simply removes food debris from between teeth. I know, I’ve got one.

The Waterpik water flosser is better than interdental brushes or floss. It's a cordless and only needs charging about once a week. My dentist recommended it and it was a very good buy! Your mouth feels as good as it does when you've just been to the hygenist!

I am still smarting from being criticised by the hygienist for not cleaning between my teeth properly which seemed to rest on the fact that the gap between my teeth was widening. This means more plaque I think.
She actually insinuated that I was lying about using an electric toothbrush did an elaborate demonstration (on me) of how to press lightly on the gum with the tooth brush in small steps and not use the brush as a brush, if you see what I mean. I left with yet more small brushes and a three month next appointment rather than six month.
I'm still furious because I have always looked carefully after my teeth and presumably changes that happen with age are what they are and it's the job of these people to sort it out.
There are so many expectations these days of things that we are supposed to do to suit one professional or another. How did our parents ever survive!

Interdental brushes are the best in different sizes. Do not floss.

Interdental brushes are really good. I much prefer them to flossing. You just need to find the right size for the gaps in your teeth but well worth experimenting.

Dental tape. And pull the thread through not up. Tape rather than floss. Mind your crowns. But am not a hygienist so will be interested in this thread.

I use all 3 sizes of the interdental brushes with my teeth as some of the gaps are smaller/larger than others. I also use an electric toothbrush. Don't know if any of that helps you?