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Did you know that October is National Dental Hygiene month? It’s the time of the year to take inventory of your oral health, and to celebrate the work of our wonderful dental hygienists. A recent dental hygienist opinion survey taken in 2018 found that 94% of dental hygienists are satisfied in their careers. Now that’s something to smile about!
We may be a little biased, but we think Simply Smiles has the best dental hygienists anywhere around. It’s a rewarding career, but not without its challenges. Hygienists must go through extensive schooling and training, taking courses such as pathology, preventative dentistry, and even radiology. Many people don’t realize that dental hygienists are qualified to do much more than cleaning teeth. These are a few things you might not realize they do in addition to teeth cleaning:
- Record blood pressure
- Take and develop radiographs
- Check bone levels
- Review and analyze gum health
Dental hygienists help perform oral assessments to make sure they catch any underlying issues that may impact your overall health. Their expertise can save lives. The biggest health issues hygienists usually address are: periodontal disease, teeth whitening, cavities, inflammation, and – arguably the most important for preventing further complications – general oral care.
What does good dental hygiene really entail? Proper oral hygiene is the practice of keeping your mouth clean, healthy, and free of disease. Maintaining a healthy mouth is key to ensuring your overall health, as dental issues can lead to complications elsewhere in your body. This is a serious topic since tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic disease among children and adults, with only 65% of adults visiting the dentist each year, and 32% of the ones who don’t, continue to live with untreated tooth decay.
You may be wondering how to practice proper dental care at home. Here are the best ways to maintain a healthy smile:
- Brush your teeth twice a day.
- Brushing after every meal will ensure that your teeth stay clean and free of plaque build-up. Remember not to brush too hard as you can damage your enamel.
- Floss every day.
- Many people skip flossing, but it is a key step to maintaining your gum health. Flossing can get the hard-to-reach food particles that your toothbrush missed.
- Rinse your mouth with mouthwash.
- Use an antibacterial, non-alcohol-based rinse with the ADA seal of acceptance. This will kill the germs that flossing and brushing can’t eliminate.
- Visit your dentist twice a year.
- It’s important that you visit your dentist twice a year for regular dental check-ups. They will clean your teeth and look for any signs of dental disease or decay. Catching dental issues early on will allow them to counsel you on the best ways to take care of your smile in the future.
In honor of National Dental Hygiene month, we rounded up some interesting dental facts for you to enjoy:
- Tooth prints, just like fingerprints, are unique to each person.
- Floss is durable – in 1994, a West Virginia inmate used his dental floss to braid a rope in order to scale a building and escape!
- In their lifetime, the average person produces over 100,000 gallons of saliva – enough to fill over 20 semi-trucks!
- On average, a woman smiles 68 times per day, compared to men who only smile eight times per day.
We think a great way to celebrate National Dental Hygiene month would be to visit your dentist. Call our office today to schedule your appointment, and we can set you and your smile up for success!
Sources:
https://nationaltoday.com/national-dental-hygiene-month/
https://www.ccpedo.com/october-national-dental-hygiene-month/
https://drwallacedds.com/national-dental-hygiene-month/
https://dentalofficetrainingbylynn.com/5-amazing-facts-you-didnt-know-about-dental-hygienists/
https://medijobs.co/blog/check-it-out-8-fun-facts-about-dental-hygienists/#.YWWE89rMKUk
https://www.nilesfamilydentistry.com/oral-hygiene/facts-about-oral-hygiene/
https://omahadentists.net/blog/interesting-teeth-and-dentistry-facts/