Treatments
About us
The clean your toothbrush cannot manage, in Hammersmith
You can brush perfectly twice a day and still not reach everything. Hardened plaque along the gumline and between the teeth does not come off with a toothbrush, and it is where bleeding gums, bad breath and most decay begin. Removing it is what a hygiene appointment is for.
Appointments start at £89, and you can book straight in without seeing a dentist first.
no referral needed Book an appointment
What happens at your Hammersmith hygiene appointment
We start by looking at your gums, not your teeth. Where they bleed, where they have receded, and whether anything has changed since last time. That tells us more about what is going on than the surface of a tooth does.
Then the clean itself: the hardened deposits removed from along and just below the gumline and from between your teeth, followed by a polish. If anything needs the dentist’s attention, we will tell you rather than quietly work around it.
You will also leave knowing which bits you are missing at home. Not a lecture about flossing, just the two or three places worth changing something.
Airflow polishing, and why patients ask for it
Airflow uses a fine jet of powder, air and water to lift staining that a standard polish leaves behind. Tea, coffee, red wine and tobacco staining all respond to it, and it reaches into grooves and around the gumline where staining tends to collect.
It is not tooth whitening. Whitening changes the natural colour of your teeth, while airflow removes what has built up on top of them, which for most people is what they actually wanted in the first place. If you are after a genuine change of shade afterwards, we can talk about whitening separately.
Airflow appointments run 45 or 60 minutes and include the full hygiene visit.
You do not need a dentist to see our Hammersmith hygienist
Since 2013 you have been able to see a dental hygienist directly, without a dentist examining you first. We offer these direct access appointments, which means you can book a clean with us even if your dentist is somewhere else entirely, or if you have not been registered anywhere for a while.
A direct access appointment costs slightly more because your hygienist takes the medical history and does the assessment a dentist would otherwise have done. Everything else about the appointment is the same.
What a hygiene appointment costs in Hammersmith
If you are already a patient here, or you have had a check-up with us:
| Appointment | Fee |
|---|---|
| Hygiene appointment, 30 minutes | £89 |
| Hygiene appointment with airflow polishing, 45 minutes | £160 |
If you are coming to us for hygiene only, without seeing one of our dentists:
| Appointment | Fee |
|---|---|
| Direct access hygiene appointment | £98 |
| Direct access hygiene appointment with airflow polishing, 60 minutes | £190 |
No membership plan to join and nothing to sign up to. You can see all of our fees here.
If your gums need more than a clean
Sometimes a hygiene appointment finds something that a hygiene appointment cannot fix. Gum disease that has gone beyond the surface needs treating properly rather than cleaning repeatedly, and we offer non-surgical periodontal treatment for exactly that. If that is what you need, we will explain why and what it involves before anything is booked.
Explore periodontal therapy →Keeping teeth clean in braces and aligners
Cleaning around a fixed brace is harder than cleaning without one, and the consequences of not managing it show up as marks on the teeth once the brace comes off. If you are having orthodontic treatment with us, we will agree how often to see the hygienist as part of your plan rather than leaving it to chance.
Explore teeth straightening →Hygiene questions we hear in Hammersmith
Does it hurt?+
It should not. Sensitive gums, particularly if they are inflamed or it has been a while, can make parts of the appointment uncomfortable. Tell us and we will work around it, take it slower, or use anaesthetic if that is what you need.
How often should I come?+
For most people, twice a year. If you have had gum problems, smoke, or are in orthodontic treatment, more often. We will tell you what we think you need, not what fills the diary.
My gums bleed when I brush. Is that normal?+
Common, yes. Normal, no. Bleeding gums are usually the earliest sign of gum inflammation, and at that stage it is straightforward to reverse. Left alone for years it is not. It is the single best reason to book.
Will it whiten my teeth?+
It will remove staining that has built up on the surface, which for most people makes a visible difference. It will not change the natural colour underneath. If that is what you are after, ask us about whitening.
I have not seen a hygienist in years. Is it too late?+
No, and you will not be told off. A lot of our patients come after a long gap. We start from where you are and work out what needs doing from there.
Can I book without being a patient at the practice?+
Yes. That is what a direct access appointment is, and you can book it online.
Book your hygiene appointment
in Hammersmith, W6
Book online in under a minute, or call us on 020 8222 8760. We are at 89 Hammersmith Grove, London W6 0NQ, eight minutes from Hammersmith station with free off-street parking — here is how to find us.
Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00
The Studio
89 Hammersmith Grove,
London W6 0NQ
5 mins from The Godolphin & Latymer School
8 mins from Hammersmith station
Free off-street parking
