In the UK, countless people transform their smiles through simple routine visits to the dental hygienist. Dental hygienists are actually skilled professionals expert at your maintaining your healthy teeth and gums, complementing the primary care offered by your dentist.
With the raising daily life expenses, it might be concern for many if investing both money and time in a dental hygienist visit is worth it. The answer is a plain and simple yes, and here’s why it is.
This blog aims at exploring the most compelling reasons how a regular dental hygienist visit can make it worth the investment. It takes care of your oral health and overall wellbeing, cutting down the risks of heavy complications in the long run.
1. Prevention of Gum Disease
Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in most adults, affecting more than 45% of the overall UK adults above 30 years. The hygienist will first thoroughly clean your mouth during the appointment, and then remove tartar and plaque deposits which might have been missed through regular brushing and flossing. This deep cleaning is known scaling and polishing, which helps prevent the progression of gum disease.
Next the hygienist uses specialised tools to clean below your gum line, reaching areas which are hard to clean manually. This process eliminates the harmful bacteria which can cause inflammation, and eventually tooth loss. Hygienists are expert at identifying early signs of gum diseases, like receding or bleeding gums, highlighting the need for prompt intervention. In fact, it is evident that patients going for regular hygienist visits are much less prone to develop severe gum issues – cutting down the risks of getting painful and costly treatments in the long run.
2. Professional Cleaning for a Bright Smile
Professional cleaning helps remove surface stains produced by coloured foods and drinks, or due to habits like smoking, producing visibly whiter teeth. a combination of hand scaling and ultrasonic cleaning is used by the hygienist to remove tartar deposits, following by polishing to create a dazzling smile.
The hygienist also uses air polishing to deal with stubborn stains which cannot be done with regular brushing – for instance those caused by having tea, coffee, or red wine. In fact, many patients have reported to experience a renewed confidence in their smile after a hygienist appointment. In short, professional cleaning can make a significant difference in how your smile looks, improving your self-esteem. It has also been reported than several patients have found reduced needs for cosmetic treatments with their regular hygienist visits. This saves their expenses in the long run.
3. Personalised Advice on Oral Care
Hygienists offer personalised recommendations depending on your individual needs and unique lifestyle. They even demonstrate effective techniques for brushing and flossing, guide you on choosing appropriate oral care products, and provide tailored advice on lifestyle habits and diet which influence your oral health. For instance, the hygienist can demonstrate how to clean in between your teeth with an interdental brush or suggest a toothbrush suitable for your sensitive gums and teeth.
Hygienists also guide on caring for dental appliances like bridges, crowns, or implants, ensuring their longevity as much as possible. Patients receiving and following these personalised advice notice remarkable improvements in their oral health in some time. This tailored guidance is helpful for optimising your daily oral care routine, lowering the need for complex dental treatments in the future.
4. Improved Confidence and Fresh Breath
Halitosis – a condition of bad breath – is reported to occur in approximately 1 of every 4 people in the UK. Routine visits to the dental hygienist can help fight this issue effectively by eliminating plaque and tartar build-up, which support odour-causing bacteria.
Hygienists help identify the underlying causes of persistent bad breath, including dry mouth or gum disease, and offer effective solutions. They might even recommend certain modifications to your oral care and hygiene routine, prescribe certain mouthwashes, or refer you to a dentist if they find some underlying medical issue.
A number of cases show how lives of thousands of patients have transformed through regular hygienist visits, just be addressing their bad breath problem. Fresh breath boosts their confidence, fostering a positive impact on both the personal as well as professional relationships of the individual.
5. Long term Cost Savings
Regular visits to a dental hygienist are a worthy investment which can help in significant cost savings in the long run. Prevention and early detection of dental issues help you avoid the need for more expensive and complex treatment in the future.
In the UK, severe gum disease treatments begin from about £1,000 onwards, while the cost for replacing a single tooth with a dental implant ranges around £2,500 and £3,500. On the contrary, a dental hygienist appointment in the UK typically needs between £84 and £104, based on the specific treatments you need.
Countless patients investing in regular hygienist visits are the proof that they have overcome the need of getting major dental works requiring thousands of pounds. Good oral health is also integral to saving your money on overall healthcare, as poor oral health can lead to conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
6. Overall Health Benefits
The advantages of visiting a dental hygienist are far beyond than just your healthy mouth; it creates a solid link between your oral and overall health. Poor oral health is known to produce various systemic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory infections, or even Alzheimer’s disease.
For instance, bacteria causing gum disease can enter your bloodstream from the mouth and can eventually contribute to the formation of arterial plaque. This triggers your risks of developing heart diseases. On the other hand, gum diseases make it quite challenging for diabetes patients to keep their blood sugar levels in control.
In fact, hygienists also identify early signs of systemic health problems during their assessment, including symptoms of eating disorders, nutritional deficiencies, or even some kinds of cancers manifesting in the mouth.
Reach out to us today to book an appointment with our private dental hygienist at MD.co.uk for your professional dental cleaning and oral healthcare.