The importance of good dental hygiene to general health

Good dental hygiene involves team work. You, your dentist, and your hygienist need to work together to create an effective tooth cleaning routine, helping to preserve not just the condition of your teeth and gums, but also boosting your general health and wellbeing, too.

When most people think of a dental hygienist, they envisage professional tooth cleaning – a scale and polish or air polishing. Whilst this is a vital part of the hygienist’s role, it is far from all that they do. Your hygienist will help you to improve your home brushing and flossing routine to reduce the chances of dental plaque building up in the first place. This may involve using special equipment such as interdental brushes to clean any hard-to-reach areas effectively.

A hygienist can also provide you with dietary advice to help you cut down on food and drink that can damage your teeth – those high in sugar or those that are acidic, for example, both of which can weaken tooth enamel.

Dental hygiene appointments are beneficial to patients of all ages. In the case of children and teenagers, advice will be presented in an engaging, educational, and age-appropriate manner, helping to furnish youngsters with efficient tooth cleaning strategies for life.

Removing plaque from your teeth helps to keep them healthy and strong. It is also vital to avoiding dental decay and gum disease, both of which can cause tooth loss if not treated promptly. Several studies have linked gum disease to a number of general health concerns, ranging from heart and lung disease to low birth weight in babies whose mother suffered from the condition, as well as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, preventing gum disease or treating it promptly should it arise is vital to your general health.

The dental hygienist can also help to tackle the common social problem of bad breath. Most people experience temporary bad breath at some point in life – for example, if they have eaten strongly spiced food, or are suffering a bad cold or sinus infection. However, the most common cause of persistent bad breath is that old foe plaque.