Dental hygienists are licensed oral health care professionals focusing on preventing and treating oral diseases. They clean teeth, take x-rays, educate patients on oral hygiene, and provide other preventive dental care. Dental hygiene is necessary for your overall oral health. If you don’t visit your dental hygienist regularly, you could be setting yourself up for problems down the road. Here are 5 reasons to visit your dental hygienist regularly.
1) To Maintain Good Oral Health
This is one of the top reasons to visit your dental hygienist. A dental hygienist must provide preventative care, which is why you should visit yours even if everything appears fine. Maintaining good oral hygiene habits between appointments is a crucial element of prevention.
Your dental hygienist will be able to provide specific suggestions on how you may enhance your oral health at home after your examination. They’ll also:
- Demonstrate how to clean your teeth like a hygienist.
- Recommend dentist-approved electric toothbrushes and cleaning products.
- Help parents to care for their children’s teeth.
2) Keep Healthy Gums
Gum disease is caused by plaque, the white sticky film that grows in all of our mouths. Plaque is home to both beneficial and harmful bacteria. If plaque remains on the teeth for a long time, it will irritate the gums and cause inflammation. The toxins produced by the bacteria in the plaque begin to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place.
3) Protects More Than Your Mouth
Our bodies are always open for inspection, so if your mouth appears to be healthy but you’re concerned about the rest of your body, there’s a good chance your dental hygienist will question you. Your dental hygienist is a trained professional with years of experience detecting underlying causes that can lead to other severe effects. Furthermore, poor oral health affects not just your appearance but also your general health.
4) Get Rid of Bad Breath
Poor dental hygiene is the most specific cause of foul breath, also known as halitosis. As we eat various meals and drinks throughout the day, they become entrapped between our teeth and trapped in tiny folds of the tongue and other parts of the mouth; if this accumulation isn’t eliminated regularly, germs in your mouth aid it in developing, resulting in a stinking breath.
Brushing two times a day, flossing between your teeth, and using a tongue cleaner/scraper can all help. Staying hydrated and chewing sugar-free gum are great ways to stay fresh throughout the day, as are regular trips to your hygienist for cleaning.
5) Prevent Oral Cancer
In 2021, there were 8,337 new cases of mouth cancer in the United Kingdom. More than 38,000 individuals in this country have a head and neck cancer diagnosis, with around 60,000 more expected to be diagnosed with mouth cancer over the next decade. Mouth cancers occur most often in men (66%) and those aged 55 and older (67%). These figures are increasing faster than cervical and testicular cancers combined.
Conclusion
Dental hygienists play an integral role in strengthening oral health. They are trained professionals who can provide specific suggestions on improving your oral hygiene habits at home. In addition, they can help you prevent any disease. So be sure to visit your dental hygienist regularly!
Ready to book a dental hygiene appointment? Click here to book one with Hale Wellness Dental Studio today!