Beyond clean: 5 reasons to visit your dental hygienist
Dr. Chris Goudy, owner of Fine Dentistry in Sidney shares insight on why regular cleanings by a professional hygienist are an important part of maintaining your oral health.
While that feeling of a ‘deep clean’ is certainly a perk to visiting your dental hygienist, it’s not the only reason you should keep up with your regular professional teeth cleanings.
“Along with removing any soft and hard deposits that build up over time, helping reduce inflammation and giving you that desired sense of cleanliness in your mouth, there are additional benefits to regular professional teeth cleaning that often get overlooked,” says Dr. Chris Goudy, owner of Fine Dentistry in Sidney.
- Oral health benefits the whole body: Recent studies show that chronic inflammation in the gums is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and also has an effect on sugar control, especially in those with type-one diabetes.
- Early detection of decay: Hygienists spend more time in your mouth than a dentist will during a routine examination and play an important part in detecting decay which can hide under plaque or tartar and be missed on x-rays until the teeth have been cleaned.
- Deep pockets require a deeper clean: Deep pockets or periodontal pockets are spaces around the gum line that have become infected. Hygienists often detect deep pocket around a tooth that may grow with time if not cleaned completely. If a deep pocket has grown past a depth of three to four millimetres, a toothbrush, floss, or mouthwash usually is not adequate for cleaning. A hygienist will use instruments to clean the full depth of the pocket so that the gums can heal around the tooth to the correct level.
- Hygienists are a wealth of oral health knowledge: As valuable resources of information when it comes to the best products and techniques for you to take care of your teeth at home, hygienists are an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to great oral health. A great cleaning is best delivered with instructions for you to maintain your teeth at home. “Our goal is to see you less, not more,” Dr. Chris Goudy says. “With good upkeep, your cleanings become easier with less discomfort and often bring a longer time between visits.”
- Early treatment prevents serious dental concerns down the line: “At Fine Dentistry we take a conservation approach to treatment with early monitoring and intervention,” says Dr. Goudy. Monitoring and/or treating problems early on can often save costly and time-consuming fixes down the road. “A small cavity usually does not hurt but a big cavity often needs extensive treatment such as a root canal or a crown,” he explains. “Early detection, prevention and treatment is crucial in preventing these more extensive treatments.”
Visit the hygienists at Fine Dentistry and see what a difference a professional cleaning can make to your oral health. Find Fine Dentistry on Fifth Street, in the heart of downtown Sidney. Call 250-656-7553 to book an appointment today or learn more at fine-dentistry.ca.
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