But there are ways to minimise the occasions when a visit to the dentist involves anything more than a simple inspection and polish. One good way to do this is to see a dental hygienist on a regular basis. If you've never considered this before perhaps now is the time to do so.
Is it really worth seeing a dental hygienist?
Yes it can make all the difference to your dental hygiene. It is particularly worthwhile if you suffer from bad breath, gum disease or discolouration of your teeth.
A dental hygienist is able to provide advice and insight into how best to look after your teeth and gums. As such their role is typically more one of prevention than anything else. They can scale your teeth and polish them so they look their best, but they can also use sealants to strengthen and protect the back teeth that are more involved with chewing.
Can you trust your dental hygienist?
Yes, most definitely – they have to go through intensive training for a minimum of two years on a full time basis, so this is not a casual role. They have in depth knowledge about how to prevent gum disease and fillings. They also know how various elements in our lives can lead us to damage our teeth, sometimes without us realising.