Cause for concern
Since the Covid-19 pandemic turned the world on its head, far more people are understandably paying increasing attention to all aspects of their health, which in turn has led to a noticeable rise in the number of new patients turning to their dental hygienist Richmond for help.
While the benefits of visiting a cosmetic dental expert have long been recognised by many, the work which a dental hygienist does has primarily taken a backseat, until now.
If you are concerned about how your teeth look or are unhappy with the shade of your enamel, or the smell of your breath, there is a good chance that visiting a dental hygienist could help turn things around and get your smile back into shape.
What can a hygienist help with?
Rather than focussing all of their attention on the way your smile and teeth look, a dental hygienist is more concerned with keeping your teeth as healthy and fit as they can be.
One added bonus of getting the full scope of a dental hygienist’s attention however, is that their services – such as a scale and polish procedure – can have a clear and visible impact on the way your smile looks by getting rid of any build-ups of tartar, plaque or bacteria.
A huge part of what a dental hygienist does is educate patients of all ages on the importance of proper dental hygiene, by advising them on how they can take better care of their teeth at home, such as providing proper brushing tips and advice on flossing and gum care.
Alongside the educational role which dental hygienists play within a practice, they also carry out regular dental screening and examinations in which they extensively check throughout your mouth for any signs of gum disease, plaque build-up, decay or abscesses. Should any of these be identified then the hygienist will book you in for the appropriate treatments as quickly as possible.
Do hygienists provide dental cleaning?
Another key part of the dental services which a hygienist provides is a dental deep-cleaning process called a scale and polish. This process is broken down into two parts to ensure that your teeth are extensively and thoroughly cleaned all throughout your mouth, which can both greatly boost how your teeth look and reduce your chances of developing gum disease, decay or dental abscesses.
The initial stage in a scale and polish is sometimes referred to as ‘the scrape’ as it involves scraping off any and all surface-level plaque, marks, stains and tartar from your mouth through the use of an ultrasound scraper.
Once all the plaque and marks have been removed from your teeth the hygienist can then carry out the second part of the deep-clean, which is the ‘polish’ side of the procedure. This involves using specialist polishing equipment to clean and buffer all your teeth, getting rid of any marks or stains, as well as picking up any residual particles, bacteria or plaque which may be left over from the ‘scrape’.
After completing a scale and polish you will notice a visible difference in the shade of your teeth and the brightness of your smile, and can take comfort in the knowledge your teeth and gums are in good health and will remain so for months after treatment – provided that you take proper care of them.
