Research from Tepe has found that nearly a third of people in the UK have never visited the hygienist’s chair. The principal reason given was that patients felt a visit to the dentist was enough to maintain healthy teeth, cited by 49% of people surveyed.
The role of a hygienist differs from that of a dentist and many of us here in the UK are not aware of the difference in their respective roles.
A hygienist’s role in preventing gum disease
Dental hygienists possess specialist knowledge about gum disease, how to prevent it and how to treat it. Gum disease is most frequently caused by a build up of plaque and at some point during our lifetimes, we will all develop some degree of plaque build up. If this is allowed to accumulate and mineralise, it forms a darker, harder substance known as tartar which is not removable through brushing alone, which is where your hygienist comes in. A deep cleaning treatment known as a scale and polish is used by hygienists to remove such staining; special instruments are used in order to do this and this should never be attempted at home as you could cause irrevocable damage to your tooth enamel, which cannot be treated once it has been damaged.
Reasons to pay attention to your oral hygiene
Your oral hygiene influences your overall health and neglecting this can lead to serious conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, stroke and damage to blood vessels in the heart and brain. You can read more about conditions associated with poor oral hygiene here.
The Florida Probe at Cliftonville Dental
Cliftonville Dental is always looking to invest in forward-thinking technology and this includes equipment that helps to detect and diagnose gum disease. The Florida Probe system is used to detect gum disease early and come up with custom treatment plans in order to tackle issues before they develop into more severe versions of gum disease such as periodontitis.
If you would like to book yourself in for a routine hygienist appointment here in Northampton, please do not hesitate to contact us here at Cliftonville Dental.