Gum Health & Cleans

What does a Dental Hygienist Do?

• Help detect, treat and prevent gum disease
• Provide cleaning services to keep your teeth, gums, and smiles looking healthy and beautiful
• Help monitor the strength of your teeth
• Identify and help improve dietary factors that may lead to dental decay
• Test for bacteria and biology that may lead to dental decay
• Whiten and brighten your teeth with in-surgery zoom teeth whitening
• Help prevent dental injuries using mouth guards

How Often Should I Visit My Dental Hygienist?

A dental hygienist visit is routinely performed every six months, and is usually between 40 minutes and 60 minutes. Some patients with advanced gum disease may require more frequent visits to help reduce tartar and bad bacteria, and prevent periodontal disease.

FAQS

What is the appointment duration?

You can expect an appointment length of 40-60 Minutes.

What does an oral hygiene appointment cover?

This includes gum examination, hygiene assessment, cleaning, polish, fluoride treatment & dental advice.

What are the dental item codes I should be aware of?

For a typical clean there are 2 codes, 114 & 121.
These codes are used by your health fund and they respectively cover the removal of plaque, stain or calculus; and the topical application of a remineralising agent.

The Stages of Gum Disease

Why Your Dental Hygienist is Important

Good oral hygiene and care are vital in maintaining a beautiful, healthy smile, and it’s your dental hygienist’s job to help you understand the importance of oral health, and deal with tooth and gum nasties before they become a problem.

Unfortunately, no matter how studiously you care for your teeth, plaque build-up can occur and wreck havoc on your smile and oral health if not kept in check by a professional. Regular brushing and flossing are vital in keeping your smile looking its best, but it’s just as important to visit your dental hygienist regularly for check-ups and professional teeth cleaning treatments at your dental clinic.

Your dental hygienist specializes in preventative care, dental education, and helping you and your family maintain great oral hygiene to ward off dental decay and disease.

Education

Whether your own dental health and needs have changed, you’d like to learn more about caring for your smile, or you’re teaching your little ones the importance of brushing; your dental hygienist is trained to provide expert advice and simple-to-follow instructions to meet your specific needs, so you can maintain the best possible oral health practices at home between visits.

For parents, this can mean assisting in teaching children great oral health practices from a young age, in an approachable and friendly way.

Preventative Care

Many people think of plaque as something that only occurs as a result of poor oral hygiene, but the reality is that the formation of plaque is a natural process that can’t be stopped – it’s preventing plaque build-up that’s most important.

Plaque is a sticky, colourless film of bacteria that develops on the teeth, causing that ‘fuzzy’ feeling if teeth are no brushed. Plaque forms when sugars and starches are left on teeth, though it can also develop on tooth roots under the gum line. Regular brushing and flossing will remove most of the plaque on your teeth, but it’s an important part of your dental hygienist’s job to check for any plaque build-up, especially in hard-to-reach areas, and remove that build up to prevent decay and disease.

Professional Cleaning

Brushing and flossing are the most important things you can do on a daily basis to prevent the onset of tooth decay, but at-home precautions should only be half of your smile-care routine. Nothing beats the plaque-busting power of a professional teeth-cleaning session with your dental clinic hygienist, so if you haven’t yet booked yourself in, now’s the time to do it.

Depending on the condition and health of your teeth and gums, your hygienist may use an array of instruments to loosen and remove plaque and tartar build-up and deposits. The cleaning process can include teeth scaling, polishing and debridement, and your hygienist will talk you through the cleaning process and explain the steps they’re taking, and what to expect, to keep your comfortable.