By Dr Jyoti Parmar, Principal Dentist at Southwell Dental Care, with input from our hygiene team
If your last hygiene appointment involved metal hand-scrapers, gritty polishing paste, and the unsettling feeling that your teeth had been attacked rather than cleaned — you’re not alone. That’s how dental hygiene was done for decades, and many practices still do it that way today.
It isn’t how we work at Southwell Dental Care.
Our hygiene team uses a piece of advanced equipment called the NSK Varios Combi Pro 2, which combines two modern technologies — air polishing and piezo ultrasonic scaling — into a single, gentle, highly effective hygiene protocol. The result is a hygiene appointment that feels noticeably calmer, looks visibly cleaner, and protects your teeth more carefully than traditional methods.
This article explains what’s actually happening during your hygiene visit, why it matters, and who benefits most.
Why dental hygiene matters more than people think
Hygiene isn’t the glamorous part of dentistry. It doesn’t make headlines. But the truth is:
- Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults — more than decay
- Most adults will have some level of gum inflammation in their lifetime
- The earliest stages are silent — you often don’t know you have it
- Once gum disease progresses, the bone supporting your teeth is permanently affected
The single most important thing you can do to keep your teeth for life is regular, effective professional cleaning — combined with a good at-home routine. The keyword there is effective. Not all hygiene appointments are equal.
The old way vs the modern way
Traditional hygiene (still common in many practices)
- Metal hand instruments scraped along each tooth
- Coarse polishing paste rubbed onto teeth with a rotating cup
- Often described by patients as scratchy, uncomfortable, and time-consuming
- Less effective at reaching biofilm below the gumline
- Can be abrasive on enamel, root surfaces, restorations, and implants over time
Modern hygiene at Southwell Dental Care
- Air polishing uses a fine, gentle stream of warm water mixed with a soft erythritol powder to remove plaque, biofilm, and surface staining — even in places hand instruments can’t easily reach
- Piezo ultrasonic scaling uses precise vibrations to break down hardened tartar without scraping
- Designed around the principles of Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) — a globally recognised, evidence-based hygiene protocol
- Most patients describe it as feeling gentler and faster than traditional cleaning
- Significantly safer for sensitive teeth, dental work, implants, and orthodontic appliances
What is the NSK Varios Combi Pro 2?
The NSK Varios Combi Pro 2 is the clinical-grade Japanese-engineered system that powers our hygiene appointments. It’s used by leading hygienists worldwide and brings together two modern technologies in one unit:
1. Piezo ultrasonic scaler
Uses ultrasonic vibrations — adjustable to suit the area being treated — to gently break apart and flush away hardened tartar (calculus). The technology is precise enough to clean below the gumline and around implants without damaging the surfaces around them.
2. Prophy-Mate air polishing
Delivers a fine stream of warm water mixed with a soft, water-soluble erythritol powder. The powder is far gentler than the abrasive pastes used in traditional polishing, and it can reach into pits, fissures, and gaps that hand instruments simply can’t access.
The two technologies work in sequence as part of a structured Guided Biofilm Therapy protocol, which is the gold standard for modern preventive dentistry.
What is Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT)?
Guided Biofilm Therapy is a structured, evidence-based approach to professional cleaning developed and refined over the last decade by leading dental research bodies. The protocol is:
- Assessment — your hygienist examines your teeth, gums, and any restorations
- Disclosing — a harmless dye is used to highlight where biofilm and plaque are hiding (often surprising patients with what they see)
- Patient education — you see exactly where the issues are, and how to clean those areas at home
- Air polishing first — biofilm and stain are removed gently with the air polisher
- Ultrasonic scaling — any harder tartar is removed with the piezo scaler
- Final check and polish — teeth are checked and finished
The order matters. Traditional cleaning often skips the disclosing stage and starts with scaling — which means hidden biofilm is missed, and patients have less understanding of where they need to focus at home.
Who benefits most from modern hygiene?
Almost everyone benefits — but it’s particularly valuable if you:
- Have dental implants — air polishing is dramatically safer around implants than traditional polishing, which can scratch the surface
- Have orthodontic appliances including Invisalign attachments — gentle on bonded surfaces
- Have crowns, veneers, or composite bonding — won’t damage cosmetic dentistry
- Have sensitive teeth or sensitive gums — most patients find it noticeably more comfortable
- Drink coffee, tea, or red wine — air polishing removes surface staining quickly and effectively
- Smoke or used to smoke — particularly effective on stubborn tobacco staining
- Have gum disease — superior at removing biofilm below the gumline, where gum disease starts
- Are nervous about the dentist — the absence of metal scraping is a significant comfort factor
What to expect at your hygiene visit at Southwell Dental Care
Your appointment is a calm, unhurried session — typically 30 to 45 minutes — and goes roughly like this:
- A short conversation about how your gums and teeth have been since your last visit
- Disclosing to highlight areas where plaque and biofilm have built up
- Air polishing with the Combi Pro 2 — a gentle stream of warm water and erythritol powder
- Piezo ultrasonic scaling for any hardened tartar
- A final check and a moment to talk through your at-home routine, with practical tips tailored to where the disclosing showed plaque was hiding
- Booking your next visit — most patients benefit from hygiene every 3 to 6 months, depending on your gum health
Frequently asked questions
Is air polishing safe for everyone?
Air polishing is suitable for the vast majority of patients. There are a small number of medical conditions (such as severe respiratory disease or specific recent surgery) where we’d modify the approach. Your hygienist will check your medical history at every visit.
Does air polishing hurt?
Most patients find it noticeably more comfortable than traditional polishing — there’s no scraping, no rubbing, and no gritty paste. The sensation is generally described as a gentle, slightly cool stream of water.
Will it remove staining from coffee, tea, and red wine?
Yes — air polishing is particularly effective on surface staining from common dietary sources, as well as tobacco staining. It works in places hand instruments can’t reach.
Is it safe around dental implants and cosmetic dentistry?
Yes — and that’s one of its biggest advantages. Traditional polishing can micro-scratch the surface of implants, crowns, veneers, and composite bonding. Air polishing with erythritol powder is significantly gentler and is now considered the recommended approach for cleaning around implants.
How often should I have a hygiene appointment?
Most patients benefit from hygiene every 6 months. If you have gum disease, dental implants, or a higher-risk profile, your hygienist may recommend every 3 or 4 months. We’ll always tailor this to you.
Is hygiene included in your membership plans?
Yes — most of our membership plans include hygiene appointments as part of the monthly cost. Learn more about our membership plans.
Can I book hygiene without seeing a dentist first?
Yes. New patients usually have an initial dental examination first so we can assess your overall oral health, but ongoing hygiene appointments can be booked directly with our hygiene team.
Book a modern hygiene appointment in Southwell
If you’ve been putting off your hygiene appointment because of memories of uncomfortable cleanings — please don’t. Modern hygiene is genuinely a different experience, and the long-term value of regular professional care is enormous.
We’d love to welcome you for an unhurried, gentle, and genuinely effective hygiene visit at Southwell Dental Care.
Book a hygiene appointment
Call us on 01636 918202
Find out more about our membership plans →
Hygiene appointments at Southwell Dental Care are carried out by our GDC-registered hygiene team, using the NSK Varios Combi Pro 2 for piezo ultrasonic scaling and air polishing. Article overseen by Dr Jyoti Parmar, GDC 259264.
