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Dental Hygiene
Committed to Quality
A dental hygienist is an accredited professional who helps to care for the overall health of your mouth.
At Dentistry With A Smile we are lucky to have two fantastic hygienists on our team, Renée Ford and Allana Coxon.
Hygiene Hours
Monday: 8.15am - 4.30pm
Tuesday: 8.15am - 8.00pm
Wednesday: 9.00am - 6.00pm
Thursday: 8.15am - 4.30pm
Friday: 8.15am - 4.30pm
Role of a Dental Hygienist
My dentist used to give my teeth a clean before, so why do I have to see the Dental Hygienist?
Our hygienists work towards providing preventive treatment for their patients which allows them to have the best possible oral health.
Your dentist can remove plaque and tartar from your teeth, however it is more cost effective to see the Dental Hygienist. Also the dental hygienist is able to spend a lot more time with individuals educating them on their own periodontal condition and periodontal disease in general.
Tailor-made oral hygiene instruction is demonstrated in detail, which enables you to help prevent the development and/or progression of periodontal disease at home.
It is now known that approximately 90% of New Zealanders suffer from periodontal disease at some point in life. Along with dental decay, periodontal disease is the main cause of premature tooth loss.
Therefore, due to the prevalence of periodontal disease, hygienists have been specifically trained to provide expert knowledge and skill within this field.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease is diagnosed through a process that measures the depth of the pockets around each tooth. Pockets that are greater than 3 millimetres in depth are considered hazardous and will generally require treatment.
The early detection and prevention of gum disease is another reason to see your dentist and hygienist regularly.
How is gum disease treated?
Gum disease is treated by carefully removing the bacteria and substances that form in the pockets around the teeth. The removal of this material occurs on a microscopic level and requires great skill. Our dental team has had advanced training regarding how to effectively remove the offending bacteria.
This process of removing the bacteria sometimes requires more than one visit to our practice. Once the bacteria has been removed, the pockets must be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis by a dental hygienist. Otherwise, the bacteria will return.
Keeping your teeth for life requires careful home care plus regular dental monitoring and preventive care. The Dental Hygienist is not simply a cleaner of teeth, but a personal health coach and educator, helping our patients stay healthy and get the longest service out of the great restorative treatments we deliver. They provide knowledge to enable you to recognise changes in your own gum health and to have the best methods of home care.
Gums make up the framework for smiles and we want to help to create and maintaining your great smiles!
Our Dental Hygienists are available to offer home care advice and recommended products, cleaning, tooth whitening and preventive treatments.