Dental hygiene or oral hygiene means maintenance of the mouth, teeth and gums. Oral hygiene is made up of at-home daily maintenance and regular visits to your dentist. The daily brushing and flossing you do at home combined with the professional cleanings provided by your dentist and dental hygienist will ensure you keep your natural teeth for a life time.

The Oral Hygiene Process

No matter how thorough an at-home brushing and flossing routine may be, calculus will build up on the teeth over time. As calculus builds below the gum line, bacteria eventually invade the area with the potential to create a host of dental problems. A dental hygienist is trained to eliminate this calculus buildup and eliminate this threat to ones health.

Dental hygienists are specialists at scraping away the hard plaque and removing calculus deposits. They also take X-rays and look for changes to the patient’s bite.

When the hygienist is done cleaning, the dentist will conduct further examination of the gums and mouth for signs of tooth decay or gum disease. The American Dental Association suggests patients schedule a visit to the dentist and dental hygienist twice a year to guarantee good oral hygiene.