Why your hygiene appointments are as important as dental check ups

guest blog by hayley irons

We all know that we should attend for a dental check-up. Normally this is as regularly as every six months. This helps your dentist to keep a close eye on your oral health and spot any changes early before they become serious and costly problems. But what about hygiene visits? Do you really need to have these regularly, too? The simple answer is, yes!

What happens during a hygiene appointment?

During a dental hygiene appointment, your hygienist or therapist will thoroughly clean your teeth using a process called scale and polish. This is where they will scrape away all of the hardened plaque that has built up since your last appointment. Even if you are brilliant at cleaning your teeth you will have some build up that requires attention! They will then polish your teeth. This is the bit that gives you that really clean, smooth feeling and helps to remove some surface stains, too.

Why are hygiene appointments important?

The reason this is so important is because plaque that is left to build up can lead to gum disease, which starts with red or swollen gums that can be painful and may also bleed when you brush. If left untreated, the gum can be pull away from the tooth leaving a gap, or a pocket, where bacteria can collect. This is can then lead to tooth loss.

In addition, your hygienist can also provide you with expert advice on brushing and flossing tools and techniques based on your own cleaning habits. During your appointment, they will be able to see any areas of consistent build up, which will allow them to help you to better understand the areas that you might be missing and where you can focus some extra attention each day. This will allow you to boost your overall oral health, leading to healthier teeth and gums in the long term!

Go to DefactoDentists.com and search for a dental clinic near you with a good hygienist. Check out their reviews to see what other people are saying about them.

Looking for good quality oral hygiene products? Either visit your dentist’s page on DefactoDentists.com or yourdentistrecommends.com