Lighten up your life
Nowadays, more and more people are paying closer attention to how they look and how they are perceived by others. There are countless rationales behind this increase in self-awareness across all age and social demographics, but the impact that it has had on the amounts of people increasingly seeking out dental help from a trusted hygienist cannot be denied.
Many people feel that the only way to achieve a bright and healthy-looking smile is through cosmetic density solutions such as teeth whitening, however, similar results can be achieved through visiting a hygienist who can ensure that your teeth are as healthy as they can be, and power-clean them through a scale and polish service which makes a visible difference to the shade of their teeth.
What does a hygienist do?
A dental hygienist is a dentist who specialises in ensuring that a patient’s teeth are as healthy and clean as they ought to be and keep the patient smiling brightly. A massive part of what a hygienist does is making sure that a patient’s gums are healthy, and examining them for any signs of deterioration, damage, or diseases such as gingivitis. Gingivitis is an early indicator that periodontal disease is developing.
More commonly known as ‘gum disease’ periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults across the UK – besides trauma – and can have seriously damaging effects on the patient’s health and even cause cardiovascular problems if it is not treated effectively. Treatment of gum disease is easiest if it is identified earlier and caught by a hygienist before it has time to develop further. One of the earliest indicators of gum problems developing is spitting blood when brushing, which is generally considered an indicator that a visit to the hygienist is called for.
Scale & Polish
Another one of the key roles of a dental hygienist is to provide a professional cleaning service through a procedure called ‘scale and polish’. The process of undergoing a scale and polish initially begins with an assessment of the patient’s gum and tooth health, to establish the extent of treatment that is required. Following this, the hygienist then uses an ultrasound scraper dental tool to scrape all of the plaque and tartar from the patient’s enamel and gums, using more specialised hand-held tools to remove any build-ups from between teeth and within the areas which are more difficult to reach and may have been missed when brushing. These areas are the most likely to contain food particles which can develop into both plaque and tartar and eventually cause gingivitis.
After this plaque and tartar has been removed by the dental hygienist, the second stage of the procedure is carried out. This is referred to as the ‘polish’ as it is exactly that. Professional dental polishing tools are then used to clear away visible marks, stains, or discolouration to the surface enamel of the patient’s teeth – the results of which make their teeth visibly brighter and cleaner looking. A scale and polish service is not a cosmetic procedure, in that it does not aim entirely to improve how a patient’s teeth look, although the results are comparable, and patients who undergo a scale and polish can be assured that their teeth not only look good, but are as healthy as they possibly can be.
