Most dental patients are familiar with the fundamentals of oral hygiene. At home, this includes twice-daily brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash. Also trying to keep your sugar intake as low as possible. When it comes to seeing a professional to undertake hygiene based dental services, many patients become uncertain about this role or its importance. But it is a vital role and any surgery that has a team that is dedicated to maintaining good levels of all oral hygiene is likely to be a surgery worth joining.
How can a hygienist Richmond help you to keep your oral health at its peak? Here are some of the key ways.
Gum health
Many people assume that the number one cause of missing teeth in adulthood is linked to oral decay. This is not the case. In the Western world, more people are losing their teeth due to gum disease. This is because as this progresses, it causes the tendons which hold your teeth in place to become destroyed. Your teeth become loose or fall out. A visit to a dental team for a scale and polish can remove the offending plaque which is causing the gum disease. It will also ensure that your teeth stay in place. These visits may be required more regularly if you have a genetic history of gum disease in your family.
Healthy teeth
Hygiene treatments are not only about saving your gums. They can make sure that your teeth remain healthy and decay-free, preventing the need for fillings or crowns to be fitted. Not only this, but healthy teeth are a solid base for patients to begin undertaking cosmetic treatments. So having healthy teeth can be the difference between undertaking Invisalign or not being able to until active decay is treated.
Whiter teeth
Another advantage of hygiene based dental appointments is that when you leave them, your teeth will be whiter. A scale and polish fundamentally removes plaque from your teeth but it also buffs them. It can also remove some surface staining, which makes it harder for plaque to adhere to your teeth at a later date. A smoother surface is slightly harder for plaque and bacteria to grip.
Better health
Oral hygiene has been found in studies to be linked to general health, specifically cardiovascular health. If you have excess plaque in your mouth, you may be putting your heart at risk of disease. You may also be increasing the chances of developing cancer, along with strokes and other serious complications. By attending hygiene based dental appointments, the chances of these occurring can be greatly reduced.
Screening and treatment plans
If you are an adult who presents with a more complex case (for instance orthodontics) then a treatment plan may need to be put into place. A hygiene based appointment can help to schedule in hygiene check-ups if you will be wearing a brace, and can also help your regular dentist to know if there are any concerns about your general oral hygiene. A hygiene appointment can also help with screening for secondary conditions such as oral cancer.