There’s more to dental hygiene than just brushing your teeth. Sure, a good at home oral hygiene routine is crucial for the health of your teeth, but even the most diligent people need a little help from time to time.
At Ace Dental, our hygienists can give your usual dental hygiene regimen a bit of a boost. Their task is to clean the area of your teeth and gums that every day cleaning can miss. If your smile could use a bit of a helping hand, call Ace Dental and book your appointment with one of our dental hygienists today.
The Effects Of Poor Dental Hygiene
Before we get into the many benefits of a good dental hygiene regimen, it’s essential to understand the negative effects of poor dental hygiene. Starting with the inside of your mouth, poor oral hygiene can cause a variety of dental problems such as cavities, gingivitis, cracked, broken and overly sensitive teeth and many more issues.
Left unchecked, these problems can travel further than your mouth. As an example, a tooth infection that goes untreated can spread to other parts of your body and lead to a more serious infection such as septicaemia. This is a serious bacterial infection that can cause a multitude of health concerns and, in some cases, can even be fatal.
Poor Dental Hygiene can also have other very serious consequences that can lead to heart disease, stroke and, for diabetes sufferers, it can make it harder to control this condition. On a less serious level, poor dental hygiene is the main cause of bad breath. If you’ve ever eaten something particularly pungent like onions and garlic only to observe people backing away from you, imagine having a permanent case of halitosis. This can affect your social life as well as your confidence, not to mention the problems you may encounter in your workplace.
How Can Your Dental Hygienist Help?
The first thing your dental hygienist will do is check the inside of your mouth for signs of decay, cavities or gum disease. They will then give your teeth and gums a thorough cleaning with special equipment like an Airflow tooth polisher or an ultrasonic scaler. This process removes stains and debris from your teeth.
Following the cleaning, will give your teeth a gentle polish using a power brush and a special toothpaste that contains a little bit of grit to finish the job. If needed, the hygienist will also floss your teeth for a complete clean.
What Can You Do Outside Of The Clinic?
Good dental hygiene is most effective when you are diligent with brushing and flossing your teeth at home. Ideally, you should brush and floss your teeth after every meal. If this isn’t possible, you should brush your teeth after those meals at home such as breakfast and dinner. If you are eating out, you can discreetly take a mouthful of water, swish it around in your mouth and swallow. At the very least, this will remove some of the acids and oils left behind from the food you have just consumed.
Mouthwash is also great to enhance your dental hygiene routine. Most commercial mouthwashes have antibacterial properties and these will help to keep the bacteria that cause gum infections to a minimum
Keep your consumption of sweets, particularly fizzy drinks, to a minimum. Sugar is the leading cause of tooth decay and cavities, especially in children and teenagers. It’s not a problem if you only have sweets as an occasional treat, but ensure you brush your teeth as soon as possible afterwards.
For more advice on maintaining good dental hygiene, talk to your Ace Dental hygienist or dentist.
How Often Should You Visit Your Dental Hygienist?
You can visit your dental hygienist as often as you feel the need to, but in most cases a thorough cleaning with an Ace Dental Hygienist should be arranged at least twice a year. Each time you visit your dental hygienist, you will have fresher breath and a brighter smile. Most importantly, you’ll have better oral health which is great for your overall health and wellbeing.
Call on 020 8530 4230 to find out how our team can help you improve your smile.
