Personalised Oral Hygiene Counselling
Generic oral hygiene advice — "brush twice a day, floss once a day" — is a starting point, but it is rarely sufficient for most patients. Individual mouths have individual characteristics: different tooth arrangements, different gum conditions, different restorations, different risk profiles. Personalised oral hygiene counselling matches the advice to the person, dramatically improving the effectiveness of home care.
What Does Personalised Counselling Involve?
At Smilecraft, oral hygiene counselling is part of every professional cleaning appointment and includes:
Assessment of current technique: We use disclosing tablets (which stain residual plaque red or purple) to show patients exactly where their brushing is missing. This is always illuminating — and motivating.
Brushing technique instruction: The optimal brushing technique (modified Bass technique or similar) is demonstrated and practised. The right technique is more important than the right brush.
Toothbrush selection: Manual vs electric, brush head size, bristle type — the best choice depends on the individual patient's manual dexterity, gum condition, and restorations.
Interdental cleaning: For most patients, a toothbrush alone is insufficient. The spaces between teeth require daily interdental cleaning — with dental floss, interdental brushes, or a water flosser. We advise on the most appropriate method for each patient's anatomy.
Special situations: Patients with implants, fixed bridges, orthodontic appliances, or significant gum disease require tailored advice on how to clean around these areas effectively.
The Right Products
The dental market is filled with products of widely varying quality and usefulness. We provide evidence-based recommendations on toothpastes (fluoride content, sensitivity formulations), mouthwashes (where genuinely helpful vs unnecessarily used), and special aids.
Personalised hygiene counselling is one of the most impactful interventions we provide — because it empowers patients to protect their own oral health every single day.
