Having direct access dental hygiene Stevenage is possibly the most important element in keeping up healthy teeth and gums. It may not only be the cure for a multitude of dental sins, but can also be a really important part of preventive care. If you visit us at Smilecraft for your dental check-up and your dentist recommends you see the hygienist it can of course feel a little worrying, but we want to reassure all our patients that a trip to the hygienist is a very normal, common part of your oral care. However, if you’re still worried here’s all you need to know about dental hygiene appointments.
The role of a hygienist
A dental hygienist works slightly differently to your dentist, they undergo specialist training surrounding the upkeep and care of teeth and gums. They are trained to recognise the signs of decay and gum disease, and specialise in restoring health to the mouth through deep cleaning, known as scaling and polishing. Once they’ve worked through any in-chair treatments with you, they will discuss with you why your teeth and gums have declined in health and discuss best practices with you to fully restore and keep up your dental hygiene.
Direct access dental hygiene Stevenage
When you come and visit the practice you will be greeted by one of the team before meeting the hygienist. During the appointment you will undergo a full health examination of all your teeth and gums. When this is happening it’s very common for the hygienist to call out various numbers, this is just them indicating to the dental nurse what condition your teeth are in and is nothing to worry about.
After they’ve established the condition of your teeth they will work around the whole mouth performing a deep clean that involves a deep descale of plaque and tartar build-up. Once they’ve cleaned the teeth they will give them a good polish to give them back their shine.
They then talk you through all the ways they think you can improve your oral hygiene routine. This may include changing your brushing technique to a more circular motion or taking up the use of dental floss, which although sometimes annoying and time consuming, can make a serious difference to the health of your gums. They could recommend the use of interdental brushes, which should be used alongside flossing to remove food debris and early build of plaque.
Benefits of dental hygiene appointments
As mentioned, one of the biggest benefits of having direct access dental hygiene Stevenage is that it can be a really big help when it comes to looking after your teeth and gums, guarding against gum disease and tooth decay, the two leading causes of tooth loss.
If you are someone who has issues with bad breath, it’s amazing how much just one quick trip to the hygienist can help this, leaving you with minty fresh breath. Finally, if you’re feeling like your teeth are looking dull and tired, but you aren’t ready to opt for a teeth whitening treatment, having a scale and polish with the hygienist could give your smile back that natural shine.