Why Visit the Dental Hygienist?
By Tabitha Acret
Why see a dental hygienist or Oral Health Therapist (OHT) for your cleans?
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- They are oral health professionals who are trained to treat prevention
- They work as part of the team with the dentist to provide integrated care
- When you visit a dental practice who has incorporated a dental hygienist and/or OHT its because they care about prevention and want to offer the patient the time for the hygienist or OHT to spend with them to provide tailored oral health prevention care
- Every person is different and needs individualised oral hygiene instructions and prevention care
- The hygienist and OHT can provide individualised instructions for prevention and gum disease and caries and also provide treatment
Why is it different?
For patients to receive the best individualised care possible it takes a team and the hygienists and OHT along with the dentist make up the clinical team for keeping your teeth for life. By having a dental hygienist or OHT in the practice, more time can be allowed for your preventative care appointments so that the focus can be on prevention rather then treatment.
Why should you go ?
From the moment we get teeth they need maintaining , teeth are important to us for many reasons, we need them for chewing and sustaining life, they also help us speak and smile. A healthy mouth allows us to function without pain or discomfort , eat the foods we love and have a healthy varied diet for overall health. Dental disease however unfortunately can occur at any age and its important we start looking after our teeth from the start. By visiting your dental hygienist or OHT from 1 years old for preventative care instructions, you can be taught how to brush your teeth properly, clean in between them and learn how dental disease starts and can be prevented. As we age our treatment needs change and our overall health can affect our oral health and your dental hygienist or OHT can help you through these changing stages in life to maintain your oral health and smile.