DENTAL HYGIENIST
A dental hygienist is a healthcare worker who co-operates with your dentist / orthodontist when compiling your dental healthcare card, and gathers anamnestic data; he/she removes tartar, polishes the roots of teeth and locally applies various preventive agents (for example fluoridation or sealing of fissures); provides information about various methods of dental hygiene and the use of various diagnostic aids for detection of dental plaque. He/she also provides information about the principles of rational nutrition for the purpose of maintaining the health of your oral cavity.
Brushing | Flossing | Interdental cleaning |
ORAL HYGIENE
Oral hygiene on the part of the patient is a fundamental pillar in the treatment of periodontal disease.
Without the constant co-operation of the patient, periodontal treatment by dentists is less successful, but above all the results attained are only short-term.
After the hygienist has assessed the condition of the oral cavity, he/she must explain the principles of good oral hygiene to the patient and recommend suitable techniques and aids. The hygienist must have the opportunity to monitor oral hygiene during the course of periodontal therapy, and thus enable any applicable adjustments to the original programme for the purpose of improving the hygiene conditions and maintaining a healthy oral cavity.
Just a few decades ago, diseases and problems with teeth and gums remained entirely untreated, and in a large part of the population resulted in loss of teeth.
Today we know that it is possible to avoid these diseases through good daily oral hygiene, and to battle against the main enemy of teeth – bacterial plaque.
If we wish to attain satisfactory results it is not enough only to brush our teeth after every meal. It is also necessary to know the proper technique for cleaning and how to use dental floss correctly.
On its own however, oral hygiene at home is still not enough to ensure the complete removal of bacterial plaque and tartar. As a result it is necessary to ensure regular visits to an expert - dental hygienist, who can perform professional oral hygiene: this expression is understood to cover all interventions made by the expert with the aim of removing all residues of plaque and tartar which build up over the course of time.
Oral hygiene for orthodontic patients
The presence of a fixed dental brace in the oral cavity can impair brushing of teeth and oral hygiene, supports the build-up of tooth plaque around the points of contact, and creates inaccessible areas which accelerate bacterial colonisation.
It is important to know that orthodontic treatment means a genuine intervention into the ecosystem of the oral cavity, which results in increasing the number of cariogenic bacteria in saliva and in plaque.