![]() Periodontal disease increases with age, 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have periodontal disease. A recent CDC report provides the following data related to prevalence of periodontitis in the U.S.:Ĥ7.2% of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease. Periodontitis, also known as gum disease, is caused by an infection in the gums. Whatever the situation, the doctor has diagnosed you with periodontal disease and that means a “basic cleaning” just won’t cut it. Maybe it has been a while since your last cleaning, maybe this is a new dental office for you, maybe you haven’t really been keeping up with your routine oral care of brushing and flossing at home, or maybe it is genetic and runs in your family. This time the doctor has diagnosed you with periodontal disease and says you need a periodontal scaling and root planing (SRP) which you probably know as a “deep cleaning.” You just came for your basic cleaning, so you ask, “Can I just get my regular cleaning, please?” It doesn’t make sense: you go to the dentist expecting to get your normal, routine dental cleaning. ![]() Sharon Albright Oakland / Berkeley, CA Also serving Alameda, San Leandro and the surrounding East Bay, CA areas.Supervised and Edited by Dr. Learn more about why you need professional teeth cleaning and dental exams > See our dental hygienist for your professional teeth cleanings, you will be glad you did. Dental hygienists with their extensive and specialized education are very highly regarded professionals within the dental community. Dental hygienists use their clinical skills to provide the highest standard of oral hygiene care and their interpersonal skills to motivate patients to achieve and maintain oral health. An Associate of Arts degree from college is the minimum requirement to apply for Dental Hygiene school where 2 years of rigorous education combines classroom and clinical coursework in dental hygiene studies. Dental hygienists are highly educated and skilledĭental hygienists have undergone extensive education and training to provide dental hygiene care to their patients. Dental hygienists strive for excellence in this area, because they know healthy gums are the foundation for healthy teeth and influence overall health. Dental hygienists devote their undivided attention to these tasks, as they are trained specifically for it. Removal of tartar provides smooth tooth surfaces which facilitate teeth cleaning at home and promote gingival healing. Educating patients about periodontal disease and the importance of good oral hygiene.ĭental hygienists use different tools to complete individual patient assessments they use hand instruments and often, ultrasonic devices to remove tartar, plaque and stains.Performing scaling and root planning for patients with periodontal disease.Administering cavity prevention treatments such as fluoride and sealants.Giving personalized oral hygiene instructions to patients. ![]() Removing hard and soft deposits (tartar and plaque) as well as stains from teeth. ![]() Dental hygienists perform many roles in a dental office including: Dental hygienists are dental professionals who specialize in oral hygieneĪ dental hygienist is a licensed dental professional who specializes in promoting oral health and preventing periodontal disease. Complete removal is key because tartar is significant in the progression of inflammatory periodontal disease which may not only cause a bad breath, but lead to other serious problems, both medical and dental. Tartar must be removed completely with dental instruments. Once tartar has attached to the teeth, brushing and flossing will not remove it. These hard deposits are called calculus or tartar. Eventually, plaque that is left undisturbed will harden and attach to your teeth. If this biofilm is left anywhere undisturbed for 2-3 weeks, gingivitis develops. Immediately after your teeth are cleaned, a the clear, sticky film of plaque begins to form again. Why? Because although proper brushing and flossing will remove most of the plaque that forms, it is impossible to eliminate it totally because our bodies produce plaque (dental biofilm) continuously. Having a clean, healthy smile can definitely make you feel good about yourself.Įven though you may be very diligent about your oral hygiene with daily flossing and brushing you still need regular professional cleanings, also known as dental prophylaxis performed by a dental hygienist. ![]()
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