A dental hygienist is a licensed dental professional who specializes in preventive oral health, typically focusing on techniques in oral hygiene.
Regular professional cleaning combined with a good at home oral care regime can help to keep your teeth and gums healthy. A healthy mouth will give you the ability to smile with confidence.
There are four main things that your hygienist will focus on:
Preventing Gum Disease
The hygienist focuses on the treatment and prevention of gum disease. Gum disease is currently the leading cause of tooth loss in adults in the UK and by ensuring you visit the hygienist for regular appointments you can treat gum disease in its early stages.
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. It is an inflammation of the gums as a result of the presence of plaque and bacteria. Gingivitis is reversible!
If no action is taken, the plaque can calcify and harden and turn into calculus. If left, the bacteria in the calculus can slowly erode the supporting structure of the teeth. This is then the 2nd stage of gum disease (chronic periodontitis).
Helping maintain good physical health
Recent studies have linked heart attacks and strokes to gum disease, resulting from poor oral hygiene. Professional regular dental cleaning significantly helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy and reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes.
The bacteria present in the mouth enter the bloodstream where they produce proteins. It is these proteins which can affect the heart by causing the platelets in the blood to stick together in the blood vessels. If this happens in enough quantity, it can increase the risk of blood clots forming. Blood clots will reduce the normal blood flow affecting the amount of nutrients and oxygen reaching the heart.
If the blood flow is affected enough it can lead to a heart attack.
Preventing bad breath
Bad breath is a common problem that will affect everyone at some point in their life. Bad breath is most often caused by the gases emitted by the bacteria present on our teeth and gums. Bits of food that get caught between your teeth will be broken down by the bacteria and cause an unpleasant smell. This can be further exacerbated by strong smelling foods and drinks such as garlic, onions, and coffee.
Regular visits to the hygienist will help to remove the build-up of calculus and bacteria. This will help to treat bad breath ensuring your mouth stays minty fresh.
Advising on lifestyle factors that may be affecting your oral health
Finally, the hygienist may give you advice on lifestyle changes which could help to improve the health of your teeth and gums, for example quitting smoking. Smoking will have a detrimental effect on your teeth, increasing the risk of gum disease and staining. They may also give dietary advice on reducing the number of times you have sugary food and drink throughout the day to help reduce the risk of acid erosion and tooth decay.
By having regular hygienist appointments, it is possible to change red and inflamed gums to a healthy pink, preventing teeth from becoming mobile and drifting and preventing gums from bleeding when they are brushed.
In Between Visits
In between your regular visits to the hygienist, it is important to ensure that you maintain a good level of oral hygiene.
- Brush your teeth first thing in the morning and last thing at night with a fluoride toothpaste
- Clean in between your teeth with interdental brushes, floss, or tape, as demonstrated by your hygienist.
- Limit sugary foods and drinks to mealtimes. If you need to snack in between meals focus on vegetables, cheese and fruit and where possible drink water.
Call today to find out what our excellent hygienist can do for you, call Valley Dental Practice today on 01255 220322 and book your appointment.
