A professional clean that gets to what a toothbrush cannot reach. Our hygienist removes the hardened plaque and staining that build up over time, so your gums stay healthy and your teeth feel properly clean.
Tell us when suits and we will call you back to arrange it. No obligation.
Treatment Overview
What isHygiene Appointment?
A hygiene appointment is a professional clean that goes further than anything you can manage at home. However well you brush, a little plaque always gets left behind. Plaque is the soft, sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth every day. Given time it hardens into tartar, a rough deposit sometimes called calculus, and once it has set hard no toothbrush will shift it. Our hygienist removes it for you.
The clean has two parts. First a scale, where we lift off the hardened tartar and clean along and just below the gumline, where plaque likes to hide. Then a polish, which smooths the tooth surfaces so plaque finds it harder to stick again. If you choose EMS air polishing, we add a jet of fine powder, warm water and air that gently lifts away staining and soft deposits. Many people find it comfortable, and it is good at shifting the marks left by tea, coffee, red wine and smoking. Regular cleaning is the single best way to keep gum disease away, and gum disease is the most common reason adults lose teeth. Most people come in for a clean every six months, often at the same time as their check-up. If your gums need more attention, we may suggest coming a little more often until things settle.
If the dentist makes you anxious, a hygiene visit is one of the gentler things we do, and we take it at your pace. Tell us when you book.
This appointment is for you if
Your gums bleed when you brush or clean between your teeth
You have not had a professional clean in a while
You can feel rough or hard build-up on your teeth
You have staining from tea, coffee, red wine or smoking
You have been told you have early gum disease
You just want your teeth to feel properly clean
What a hygiene visit does
Removes the hardened tartar a toothbrush cannot shift
Cleans along and below the gumline where plaque hides
Helps stop gum disease taking hold
Lifts surface staining and freshens your breath
Leaves the teeth smooth so plaque struggles to stick
Before cleaning, the hygienist has a look at your gums and asks how you have been getting on at home. If anything needs a closer look, we flag it.
02
A thorough clean
We remove the hardened tartar with gentle instruments and clean the plaque a brush leaves behind, including just below the gumline. If you are having EMS air polishing, a jet of fine powder, warm water and air lifts off stain and soft deposits.
03
Polish and finish
We polish the surfaces smooth so plaque finds it harder to settle, and your teeth feel clean and fresh.
04
How to keep it up
We show you where plaque is building and the small changes to your brushing, or your cleaning between the teeth, that make the biggest difference before your next visit.
Longer appointments, so we can talk through your concerns and give you a break if you need one.
Almost pain-free injections
The Wand numbs you without the big needle or the sting. Most patients are surprised how easy it is.
Digital X-rays
We diagnose faster, more accurately and with far less radiation than older film.
A hand to hold
Bring a partner in, or hold a nurse's hand. If you ever need us, we respond the same day.
About Waterside Dental
Your private dental practicein Hythe.
Waterside Dental is a private practice in Hythe, owned and led by principal dentist Dr Nikos Louskos since 2017. It has recently been refurbished to feel more like home than a clinic, and is run by a small, hand-picked team — so you'll always see a familiar face.
Care here is unhurried and patient-led. Appointments are longer so concerns can be talked through properly, treatment is explained in plain language, and nothing is rushed — with breaks during longer procedures whenever you need them.
We welcome private patients from Hythe and across Southampton — whether you're registering as a new patient or visiting for a single course of treatment while staying with your current dentist.
"I firmly believe that dentistry doesn't have to be unpleasant or scary, and that often it can be life-changing."
DR NIKOS LOUSKOS
Our Principal Dentist
Meet Dr NikosLouskos.
DDS · MSc Endodontics · GDC No. 102626
Principal dentist and practice owner, with a special interest in endodontics.
Dr Nikos Louskos qualified in Athens in 2005 and moved to the UK in 2006. He worked as an associate at Waterside before taking ownership of the practice in 2017.
In 2016 he completed a Master's in Endodontic Practice at Queen Mary University of London. He accepts referrals for complex root canal cases, which he treats under a microscope, and enjoys all aspects of general dentistry.
Nobody wants surprises after a dental visit. You'll get an itemised treatment plan with exact costs before anything begins, plus monthly payment options to spread the cost.
Finance is provided by Tabeo and is interest-bearing from 9.9% APR. Practice-plan discounts apply to selected treatments — full terms are listed on the Fees and Plans pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions patientsask us.
A few of the things patients ask us most often. If your question isn't here, just get in touch — we're happy to talk it through.
For most people every six months works well, usually at the same time as a check-up. If you have gum disease, or you build up tartar quickly, we may suggest coming more often for a while. We will tell you what suits your mouth rather than apply a blanket rule.
For most people it is painless, just a bit of scraping and some water. If your gums are sore or your teeth are sensitive, tell us and we will go gently. EMS air polishing is a gentle option that many nervous or sensitive patients prefer.
Standard hygiene uses instruments to remove tartar and plaque, then polishes the teeth. EMS air polishing adds a jet of fine powder, warm water and air that lifts off staining and soft deposits gently. It is good for shifting stains and is comfortable, so we often suggest it if you have a lot of staining or sensitive teeth.
Yes. This is called direct access, and it means you can book straight in for a clean without a dental examination first. A direct access appointment is £135, or £160 with EMS air polish. If you have not been to a dentist in a while, though, it is worth booking a check-up too, so nothing gets missed.
It is not tooth whitening, but removing built-up staining from tea, coffee, red wine and smoking often makes teeth look brighter and cleaner. If you want to go whiter than your natural shade, that is tooth whitening, which is a separate treatment.
No, keep brushing. Bleeding gums are usually a sign of plaque causing inflammation, and stopping makes it worse. Keep brushing, clean between your teeth daily, and book a hygiene appointment. If it has not settled, you may have early gum disease, which a clean and some advice can usually turn around.
Tell us when you book. A hygiene appointment is one of the gentler things we do, and we take it at your pace. You can bring someone in with you or hold a nurse's hand, and EMS air polishing is a comfortable option if scraping bothers you.
We are a private practice. That means longer appointments and no restrictions on the materials and techniques we can use. We publish all our prices, and our Practice Plan lets you spread the cost of routine care monthly.
Whether you'd like to book or just have a question about treatment, send us a message and a member of the team will get back to you — the same day wherever we can.
