Brightening up your oral outlook
While in pre-pandemic times a cosmetic dentist was often the most popular and widely sought out dental expert, nowadays it seems the age of the dental hygienist Richmond is upon us.
During the course of the national lockdown restrictions and measures, many people may have felt that their oral health suffered from excessive snack eating and a lack of easily available dental assistance.
How our teeth look plays a massive role in both how we feel on a daily basis, and how we are perceived by those around us.
Therefore this is why it is strongly advised that anybody who is concerned with the visible state of their teeth seeks out the help of a trusted hygienist – rather than simply hiding their smiles away behind tight lips or their favourite face mask.
Dental hygienists have seen teeth in every conceivable condition, and you can almost guarantee that no matter how bad a condition you think your smile is – they’ll have seen worse.
Also, dental hygienists never pass judgment on patients or make them feel worse about their smiles – the only important thing to them is that you are there to be treated.
What does a hygienist actually do?
Most people are aware of the role that a cosmetic dentist plays – making your teeth look their best through one or more specific treatments – however fewer people are as clued up on the role of a hygienist.
Hygienists are specially trained dental practitioners who focus their expertise entirely on keeping your teeth fit and healthy. Rather than focusing on how your teeth look, hygienists are focused on how healthy your teeth are.
An upside to this is that often seeking out help from hygienists can leave your teeth looking far healthier and cleaner – similar to seeking cosmetic whitening – only better for your oral health.
Educating patients of every age is another massive part of what a dental hygienist does. This can include teaching new brushing or flossing techniques, as well as what foods and eating habits you may want to adopt to avoid any unnecessary return visits to the dentist chair.
Alongside education and examinations, dental hygienists also conduct a deep-cleaning procedure called a scale and polish.
This is a two step process which rids a patient’s teeth of any plaque, tartar, marks and stains that have accumulated over time. Undergoing a scale and polish is one of the fastest and most effective ways of restoring your teeth to full health – and achieving a whiter smile in the process.
What happens in a scale and polish procedure?
If you visit a dental hygienist for a scale and polish the first thing that will likely happen is the dental hygienist will examine your teeth thoroughly for any signs of gum disease or decay. Following this they will then begin the ‘scrape’ stage of the process – in which an ultrasound scraper and other dental hand tools will be used to remove all visible tartar, plaque and bacteria from every tooth.
After this, the hygienist will then begin the ‘polish’ stage, which involves using a dental polishing tool to shine and buffer every tooth – getting rid of any residual bacteria and plaque and leaving the patient with a visibly cleaner, healthier and whiter looking smile.
