Self-love | Why you should regularly check in with your dental hygienist

By Gulshan Dhanoya

Why do I need to see a dental hygienist? I already go to my dentist every six months.

It’s definitely important to keep seeing your dentist every six months, as they’ll be able to assess the health of your teeth and carry out any treatments – but it’s so important to make time for dental hygiene appointments too. A dental hygienist is specially trained to professionally clean your teeth and gums and to show you to keep your mouth healthy.

At a dedicated hygiene appointment, a dental hygienist can spend longer with you to thoroughly remove plaque that builds up on your teeth and to explain how you can stop it from returning. The quote ‘prevention is better than cure’ is the perfect description of what a dental hygienist does, because their key role is to help you prevent gum disease or tooth decay.

Each patient needs bespoke advice to suit their own oral hygiene needs. Whether you need a few tips on flossing, a recommendation for the best electric toothbrush to choose, advice on which toothpaste to buy, or an explanation of how interdental brushes work, then your hygienist is on hand to help. They can also talk to you about your diet, so if you’re worried that your food and drink habits might be damaging your teeth, ask your hygienist for advice.

At Honour Health, our hygienist uses a state of the art EMS Airflow hygiene system for the best professional clean possible.

How often should I see my dental hygienist?

I ask my patients to see our dental hygienist for an Airflow treatment at least every six months to maintain clean, healthy teeth and gums. No matter how angelic you are with your oral hygiene routine, there will always be some hard to reach areas that a dental hygienist can clean better than you.

If you’re thinking about having your teeth whitened, then I recommend that you book an Airflow treatment before beginning any teeth whitening process, as this will lift staining and help to achieve better results.

For anyone who is having orthodontic treatment such as Invisalign, then it is especially important to have regular Airflow treatments to thoroughly clean around any attachments, brackets or wires.  

In a nutshell, there’s no better hygiene option than a professional Airflow treatment with a dental hygienist. Once you try it, you won’t look back – and your mouth will thank you for it!