How to have good dental hygiene?

An integral part of a good dental hygiene routine is to go for regular check-up appointments with a dental professional.

When you visit our practice for a dental hygiene appointment, you will be examined by a dentist who specialises in excellent dental health. Our highly qualified dentists are all experts in preventing dental issues, such as gum disease and tooth decay.

Here’s what happens at a hygienist appointment at The Dental Architect:

1. We review your notes and talk about any dental concerns that you might have encountered. We also discuss any medical issues and prescribed medications that you are taking.
2. We thoroughly examine your teeth, gums and the soft tissues of your mouth. Teeth are checked for decay and gums are checked for periodontal disease. We may also take X-rays to inspect tooth and jaw health. Any changes or developments will be noted and addressed, where relevant.
3. Following the examination, further treatment may be discussed.
4. We clean your teeth — this might include scaling, removing debris, plaque or tartar/calculus from the tooth surface with an ultrasonic scaler and a water jet or hand instruments.
5. The treatment ends with polishing your teeth to remove superficial stains.
6. You will have the opportunity to ask questions or discuss any cosmetic treatments that might be of interest, such as teeth whitening.
7. We will also run through our recommendations for a good dental hygiene routine. This might include ways to improve your brushing technique to reduce gum recession.

In between dental appointments, it is vital that you practise a good dental hygiene routine at home. At-home hygiene mainly involves cleaning your teeth to remove traces of food and drink. Cleaning also removes plaque and calculus/tartar - hardened dental plaque - from teeth, to prevent cavities, gum disease and tooth decay.

We recommend the following general approach as a basis for good dental hygiene routine:

BRUSHING
Morning and last thing at night: brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes, with fluoride toothpaste. Spend an equal amount of time in each quadrant of your mouth and brush all the surfaces of your teeth (front, back, and top). Electric toothbrushes tend to be more effective than manual.

INTERDENTAL CLEANING
Clean between the teeth with dental floss, tape or an interdental brush, depending on preference and space between teeth. You may wish to use a mouth wash for extra freshness and to remove dislodged debris.

Poor dental hygiene has a large and varied number of effects. The obvious issues associated with poor dental hygiene are tooth decay, cavities, gum disease and tooth loss.

Poor dental hygiene affects other parts of the body and can cause the following medical issues:

1. Cardiovascular disease — periodontal disease can lead to bacteria entering the bloodstream. This may cause or exacerbate atherosclerosis, leading to heart attack or stroke.
2. Respiratory infections — it is widely believed that gum disease can increase the risk of severe respiratory infections, such as pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
3. Dementia — research indicates that poor oral hygiene could increase the risk of dementia, especially when people experience tooth loss as a result.
4. Pregnancy complications — periodontitis has been linked to low birth weight and premature birth.
5. Diabetic complications — like any infection, periodontal disease can worsen symptoms of diabetes by making it more difficult to control blood sugar.
6. Endocarditis — bacteria spreads from other parts of your body – including mouth – via the bloodstream and attaches to the heart.
7. Kidney disease — there is a potential link between poor oral health and kidney disease.
8. Pancreatic cancer — there is a link between poor oral hygiene and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. It is thought that periodontitis bacteria is linked to the onset of pancreatic cancer

A number of serious medical issues can be attributed to poor dental hygiene and this is another reason why you should adopt a good dental hygiene routine.