Here's Why Your Hygienist's Cleaning Does More Than Dental Hygiene At Home
If you floss, brush, and stay away from sugar, you're doing the very best that you can for your teeth and gums at home. However, even that can't compare to how a dental hygienist can leave your mouth looking and feeling when you're done with a professional cleaning. Here are the three reasons why a dental hygienist's cleaning reigns supreme and can't be properly matched at home.
Tools
When you visit a dentist's office, they have a wide array of tools and equipment to get your teeth and gums healthy and clean. These tools include the extremely strong lights, magnifying glasses, and the tools used to actually clean your teeth. Your hygienist's brush is essentially the same as an electric one that you might have at home, but what they put on it is just as important. Your cleaning will typically include an abrasive polish as well as a smooth one. The abrasive polish will clear away old stains, debris, and built-up plaque, while the other will simply leave your teeth looking shiny and healthy.
Skill
Wondering what the big difference is between brushing at home and the dentist's office? The abrasive material your dentist or hygienist uses to clean your teeth can only be used under supervision or by someone who has the skill that they need. If you were to use the same polish at home, there's a strong chance that you could end up damaging the enamel on your teeth with it. Applying too much pressure or not being able to see what you're doing while you're doing it could cause this problem. It's also not a good idea to use this kind of cleaning material on a daily basis for the same reasons.
Techniques
Lastly, technique has a lot to do with the cleaning you get a dentist's office. Brushing and flossing at home is doing your best, but if you're not following the exact technique that dentists recommend, you may not be getting as good a cleaning as you would at the dentist's office.
For starters, dentists always recommend that when you brush your teeth that you move in little circles and not only brush the entire tooth, but the gum line as well.
The same goes for flossing: you should be pulling the floss taut against the tooth on the right side, scrape it off, and then repeat this process for the tooth on the left side before moving on to your next pair of teeth.
Chances are there are some things you can do to improve your oral health maintenance at home, so don't be afraid to ask during your next visit. In the meantime, just remember that even if you do an excellent job with your teeth at home, you still need to come in for cleanings regularly to prevent cavities and gum disease.
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