The common “dental hygiene” or
hygienist appointment gets no respect! Many patients view their preventive
dental cleaning as “just a cleaning or a polish”, but healthy gums are critical
to long term oral health. Gums that bleed during brushing or flossing are
inflamed, a condition known as gingivitis.
Dental Hygienists and therapist are
the best, and most under-appreciated, secret in dentistry: Their job is to
ensure you never need to see your dentist for anything more than a friendly
check-up. If a dentist focuses on diagnosis and treatment of a dental disease,
the hygienist and the therapist focus on prevention.
Good home oral hygiene habits
combined with regular preventive dental care is your best defence against
gingivitis and periodontal disease. Your dentist and dental hygienist work
together to recommend a preventive periodontal care program that is right for
you.
A vast majority of teeth are lost
due to the effects of gum disease and research has shown that early diagnosis
and efficient treatment will help resolve the problem. The two most common
diseases can be minimized by thorough oral cleaning. These are dental cavities
or decay and periodontal or gum disease. They are both caused are by plaque, a
bacteria which is allowed to build up. This is what we are brushing away when
we clean our teeth. It is when areas of plaque are left that problems begin. To
help you achieve and maintain optimal dental health the hygienist provides
thorough teeth cleaning, dental health education and oral health advice.
Dental hygienists and therapists
are specially trained in the prevention of periodontal disease and dental
cavities. They aim to re-educate patients with regards to the use of toothbrushes,
electronic aids, dental floss and inter-dental brushes. They carefully examine
and chart your teeth and gums noting in particular: inflammation, bleeding,
swelling and the presence of plaque and calculus. All the plaque and surface
stains will be removed by gentle scraping and polishing.
Patients who have dental
treatment such as crowns, bridgework, orthodontic treatment or even implants
require special care and attention and often require aids such as super floss
or mini interdental brushes which are essential to get the best look and
longevity from them. These can be expensive so a little time and effort is
worthwhile. These aids are sometimes difficult to master so you will be shown
how best to use them and a personal hygiene plan by your hygienist will be
given.
Regular check-ups and
professional dental hygienist cleaning together with your own home dental care
can help prevent these problems as well as keeping your breath fresh and
improve your appearance.
Here
are your main top Reasons for Visiting a Dental Hygienist;
1. Prevent gum disease; Gum
disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. If diagnosed in
the early stages, gum disease can be treated and reversed by regular hygienist
cleaning. If treatment is not received, a more serious and advanced stage of
gum disease, called Periodontitis may follow including the loss of bone that
keeps your teeth in place.
2. Detect dental problems early;
your hygienist will be able to detect any early signs of problems with your
teeth or gums. Early detection of cavities, broken fillings and gum disease are
easily treated. However if these problems go untreated other more invasive and
expensive treatment such as root canal, gum surgery and the removal of teeth
may become the only treatment options available.
3. Prevent bad breath; Dental
studies show that about 85% of people with persistent bad breath have a dental
problem to blame for it. Gum disease is caused by the build-up of plaque which
untreated can harden and become Tartar in as little as 24 hours; it is Tarter
that causes bad breath. Once tartar has formed on your teeth it can only be
removed by professional teeth cleaning.
4. Help maintain good physical
health; recent studies have linked heart attacks and strokes to gum disease, resulting
from poor oral hygiene. Professional dental cleaning every 6 months (or 3
months for people who smoke) significantly helps to keep your teeth and gums
healthy and reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes. A clinical study of
100,000 people showed that those who regularly had professional teeth cleaning
(scale & polish) had a 24% lower risk of heart disease and 13% lower risk
of a stroke.
5. Prevention of oral cancer;
Information provided by the British Dental Health Foundation suggests that more
than 6000 people will be diagnosed with mouth cancer this year in the UK alone.
When your Dental Hygienist cleans your teeth they are also screening you for
oral cancer, which is highly curable if diagnosed early stages.
6. Brighten up your smile; your dental hygienist
can remove most deep staining caused by items such as tobacco, coffee, tea and
red wine. During your professional cleaning, your hygienist will also polish your
teeth to a cosmetic shine, the result being a whiter and brighter smile.
7. Advice on maintaining good
oral health; Your dental hygienist and therapist will help to ensure you are
maintaining good oral health by visual examination and comparing records from
your previous visits. If you are falling off track with your oral hygiene they
will help put you back on the right path, including advice on your home dental
care and suitable products.
Regular hygiene appointments to
clean and polish your teeth are the cornerstones of any great smile and
foundations of oral health. At Lane Ends Dental Practice, we have an exclusive
team of dental hygienist and therapists to clean teeth, improve gum health and
help you to maintain a healthier mouth.
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