Most of us will have been given the advice from our dentist to visit the practice’s dental hygienist at least every 6 months, and many don’t realize the importance of this advice, or the significant role of a Hygienist to your oral health.
A Hygienist doesn’t just clean your teeth for cosmetic reasons or whitening, a scale and polish is a necessary deep clean of the teeth and gumline, where they use specific tools to remove built-up plaque and tartar before it causes further oral health issues.
Hygienists are specialists in non-surgical oral hygiene and preventative dental care; to search for, detect and diagnose early signs of concerns with your teeth, gums and overall oral health such as gingivitis, periodontitis, oral cancer, and more.
Catching cavities, gum disease, broken fillings and oral cancer early could help to provide more treatment options before it’s too late; prevent tooth extraction or more serious health implications down the line.
For instance, if a cavity or plaque build-up is left untreated, it could lead to tooth decay, gum disease or even loss of the tooth.
If mouth cancer is caught early enough, it has around an 80% survival rate. Deaths of this type of cancer are caused mainly by late diagnosis so it’s imperative that you get professionally checked, regularly.
A visit to your hygienist every 6 months will allow them to screen you for mouth cancer and oral diseases, meaning that they’ll likely catch anything untoward, early, and potentially save your teeth, and potentially your life.
Phone 0113 2683137 or email us on reception@northleedsdental.com
