GBT Guided Biofilm Therapy in Edinburgh
Guided Biofilm Therapy is the hygiene protocol developed by EMS in Switzerland — and a different way of thinking about a “clean”. Instead of scraping every tooth and polishing afterwards, it removes the biofilm — the living bacterial film that causes gum disease and decay — first, shows you where it was, and only then scales the plaque the dye still shows. City Dental Care runs the full EMS AIRFLOW system on Earl Grey Street and is listed on the official GBT clinic finder.
Certified by the Swiss Dental Academy
City Dental Care is a GBT centre of excellence in preventive professional oral care — the certification awarded by the Swiss Dental Academy, EMS's own training academy, to practices running the full protocol to its standard. Certified since September 2025.
Transparent pricing
GBT appointment £110Standard hygiene appointment £65
Practice Plans C and D include two or four GBT visits a year in the monthly fee.
Private hygiene is direct access: you can book GBT with our dental therapists without seeing a dentist first.
Why Biofilm First?
Hardened plaque is simply biofilm that has been left to set. Gum disease and decay are driven by the living film, not the hardened layer — so the protocol targets the cause. Removing biofilm thoroughly with AIRFLOW means far less scaling is needed afterwards, and making it visible with a disclosing dye means you leave knowing exactly where to brush better.
How a GBT Appointment Works
Assessment
Gums and teeth are checked and pocket depths recorded, so the clean is planned for you rather than routine.
Disclosing
A harmless dye stains the biofilm so you can see exactly where plaque hides - and your dental therapist has a map instead of guesswork.
Motivation
Brushing and cleaning advice based on what the dye just showed, not a generic leaflet.
AIRFLOW
Warm water and a fine erythritol powder remove biofilm and surface stains from teeth, gums, tongue, between teeth and just under the gumline.
PERIOFLOW
A dedicated nozzle for deeper gum pockets, where gum disease actually progresses.
PIEZON ultrasonic
Only the plaque the dye still shows after the AIRFLOW is scaled, on gentle settings - minutes of targeted scaling instead of a whole mouth of it.
Recall
Your next interval is set by your own risk, not a calendar.
What Sets GBT Apart from a Scale and Polish
- It's guided. Disclosing turns an invisible problem into a visible one — for you and for your dental therapist. It's the step that changes habits.
- It's gentler on the tooth. Polishing paste is abrasive and can't reach between teeth; erythritol powder is minimally abrasive and safe on enamel, dentine, white fillings, crowns and veneers.
- It's gentle around implants and braces. The GBT protocol is designed to clean gently around implants, brackets and aligner attachments, with extra care taken if the gums around an implant are inflamed. We use it for implant maintenance.
- It can be more comfortable. It uses warm water, minimal scraping and gentle ultrasonic settings, and in trials people have often found it more comfortable than conventional scaling, though not in every trial.
- The biofilm is removed more effectively. The disclosing dye shows up the biofilm (plaque), so AIRFLOW can target it. Surface stains come off in both appointments: with AIRFLOW in GBT, and with a paste polish in a scale and polish. AIRFLOW is more effective on heavy staining.
A standard hygiene appointment (£65) remains a good, effective clean that removes surface stains, and we offer both. GBT costs more because of the biofilm: a disclosing dye shows it up, so it is removed more effectively with AIRFLOW. That means a longer appointment with more steps, single-use nozzles and powder for the EMS system, and a team trained in the protocol.
