Helping you help yourself through oral health education in Burnham

Helping you help yourself through oral health education in Burnham

09/04/2022

Here for those who need us

At The Dental Surgery Burnham, we want the best for our patients, and while we enjoy seeing them in our practice we understand the less time they spend in the dentist’s chair, the better.

This is why a large part of our focus goes towards oral health education Burnham so that our patients know how to properly look after and maintain their teeth, and can avoid having to make numerous repeat visits to our practice.

The importance of oral hygiene maintenance

You only get one set of adult teeth, and they are made from the strongest materials in our bodies. However, they are not indestructible and if you fail to look after them properly they can deteriorate and cause numerous problems such as decay, abscesses or gum disease – which, in turn, can be both painful and costly to treat.

One of the most important pieces of oral health education Burnham that we provide to all our patients – both young and old – is advice on how to properly and effectively brush and floss. While this may sound simple, poor brushing or flossing habits often set in at a young age and are the cause of a great number of dentist visits to treat decay or gum disease.

By offering useful oral health education Burnham on dental maintenance, as well as the top brands of both toothpaste, mouthwash and dental floss to look out for, we can give patients the best possible chance of having healthy teeth for years to come.

What does a dental hygienist do?

The role of oral health education is something which is carried out by all of our expert practitioners here at The Dental Surgery Burnham, however, our skilled dental hygienists in particular go above and beyond to make sure our patients’ teeth are as healthy as possible.

While a cosmetic dental expert is primarily concerned with the aesthetics of a patient’s smile, a dental hygienist’s services are more directed towards ensuring that a patient’s teeth are healthy and strong.

There are a number of ways in which our dental hygienist achieves this goal – with one such approach being dispensing simple tips and advice about oral wellbeing and care to anyone who needs it.

Our hygienists also carry out regular examinations of a patient’s oral condition, as they are experts at identifying early signs of decay or gum problems such as gingivitis.

What is a scale and polish?

Another very important and massively beneficial treatment that our dental hygienists carry out is a deep-cleaning dental procedure called a scale and polish. This is a two-step process that initially involves using an ultrasound scraper to get rid of any build-ups of tartar, plaque or bacteria from throughout the patient’s mouth. This stage in the process is commonly referred to as ‘the scrape’ and is a great way to get rid of any difficult to reach pockets of plaque or food particles that may otherwise form into decay.

After the scrape has removed any staining and pockets of plaque, the hygienist will then use a dental polishing tool to shine and buffer every individual tooth – removing any residual bacteria, leaving them visibly cleaner looking and as healthy as can be.