We all visit the dentist from childhood with bated breath. What will the doctor in the white coat do now? Will it hurt? Even modern advances in medicine are not able to completely eradicate these fears. It is psychologically easier for a patient to cross the threshold of the clinic if he knows that a dental hygienist is waiting for him, who will assess the condition of the oral cavity, identify existing problems and refer him to the right specialists. However, these are not all of its functions. In fact, a dental hygienist is a special specialist who can either conduct an independent appointment or work in tandem with an orthodontist.
The situation in dental clinics
Today, almost all clinics (with the exception of private practitioners) have these specialists in their staff. A dental hygienist is very often mistaken for an assistant. The fact is that polyclinics accept them on the staff precisely as a dental assistant, and additionally load them with administrative duties. As part of our article, we will somewhat reveal the functions that thedental hygienist so you know exactly what to expect from this specialist.
First of all, this is a graduate
Indeed, a person without specialized education cannot work in a good clinic. A dental hygienist must be trained and licensed. Without this, access to patients will be closed to him. Carrying out the various duties of caring for the patient's oral cavity depends on the level of education of the young professional.
Training of hygienists takes place in specialized dental schools. Most of them have a two-year program of study. As part of this training, the student studies the anatomy of nutrition, periodontics, pharmacology and much more. This determines the level of training that a dental hygienist has. His duties can be very different, as he is much more professional than a dental assistant.
A hygienist is only the first step
Someone is quite satisfied with his level, and he has been working in the position of "dental hygienist" all his adult life. What this specialist does, we will now describe in more detail. But not everyone stays on this step. As a hygienist, you can come to dentistry and get starting experience. After that, you can go on to further education and master the dental business, become an orthodontist or a surgeon. Education in dental schools is quite expensive, so postpone it a little in time and give yourselfthe opportunity to accumulate not only experience, but also money, will be very useful.
Main responsibilities
So what is a dental hygienist? What does this doctor do and what to contact him with? As we have already indicated above, this is the first instance when visiting a dental clinic. Its first and main task is to implement the prevention of dental diseases among the population of all age groups. That is, this specialist should examine the oral cavity, tell the person about the existing problems, methods of treatment.
Work in progress
All the activities of a hygienist consist of a treatment-and-prophylactic and sanitary-and-prophylactic direction. Let's now reveal in more detail the duties that a dental hygienist performs. Who is, we have already told, now let's go directly to its functions:
- This is the initial appointment and examination, during which the patient card is filled out, the condition of the hard tissues of the teeth, periodontium, mucous membrane and the ratio of the dentition is recorded.
- The doctor assesses the hygienic condition, teaches the rules of oral care, individually selects hygiene products.
- In many clinics, he performs the duties of a dental assistant when 4-handed work is required.
- In parallel, he maintains the necessary documentation and always works with the population. This is a direct examination and questioning.
- The duties of the hygienist include the implementationpreventive procedures. This can be a coating of teeth with fluorine varnish and fluorogel. What provides a slowdown in the process of demineralization of teeth and stops the destructive work of caries.
- Professional tartar removal is another priority.
Important team member
Only at first glance, patients may well do without visiting the office of such a specialist. The fact is that while the dental hygienist combines his duties not only with the duties of a dental assistant, but also often an administrator or cashier. But disease prevention is a very important front in the work of a physician. Professional oral hygiene helps prevent a large number of diseases.
Timely disposal of plaque, calculus and accumulation of bacteria prevents the destruction of enamel and tooth tissue. Therefore, remember that the hygienist should be visited at least twice a year. Before taking, make sure that there are no wounds and sores in the oral cavity, signs of other dental diseases, caries and bleeding gums. The hygienist does not treat, and he will first refer you to specialists to solve the relevant problems, and only then invite you to his professional hygiene procedure.
A visit to the hygienist from A to Z
Of course, professional medical services are expensive these days. However, to get a good result, it is desirableregularly undergo a full range of measures to clean the oral cavity from bacteria. This work is carried out in several stages. We will tell you in detail about each of them, so that you know exactly what awaits you in the hygienist's office.
- At the first stage, the specialist conducts an examination of the oral cavity with the application of a coloring composition, which allows you to accurately identify areas of plaque distribution.
- Now begins the direct work that the dental hygienist is called upon to do. What does he do (photos of his work are attached) at this stage? Identifies areas covered with soft plaque and removes it with special Air Flow technology.
- The next step is the removal of tartar. Ultrasound is primarily used for this.
- If the previous procedure was ineffective, then the stone is mechanically removed with a dental instrument.
- The last step is to polish the surface of the teeth and cover with fluoride varnish.
Hygienist consultation
After the procedure, the doctor will give the patient a lecture and advise on how to maintain oral hygiene on their own. Often people brush their teeth incorrectly for years without even knowing it. In the office, the hygienist usually has special mock-ups on which you can easily demonstrate the technique visually.
During the conversation, the doctor will tell you what measures can be taken and what means to use to visitdentist as little as possible. However, that's not all.
- An experienced dentist will show you a special technique for cleaning hard-to-reach areas of the teeth.
- Teaches you how to floss.
- Recommends medicated toothpaste and oral care products.
Pediatric dentistry
Probably the most important job is done by a pediatric dental hygienist. After all, it is at a young age that all the habits of caring for the oral cavity are instilled. In addition, chronic dental diseases are breeding grounds for bacteria that cause various inflammatory processes.
There is a myth in society that care for milk teeth can be minimal. They will fall out anyway, and he althy and strong teeth will grow in their place. No matter how. A molar tooth, starting to grow among carious neighbors, has every chance of getting sick itself, even before it has completely completed its growth. This is a really big problem, so a dental hygienist works in every children's clinic today. What does a pediatric hygienist do, we will now take a closer look.
Prevention activities and talks
Children don't yet know how to neglect their he alth, but they may just not know that oral care is extremely important. That is why field events play an important role when hygienists visit kindergartens and schools, conduct examinations, and also tell children about the basics of dental care. Statistics show that in the regions where such work is carried outregularly, the number of visits to dentistry is decreasing. The habit of proper oral care instilled since childhood is bearing fruit.
The work of a hygienist when a child is sitting in his chair is somewhat different from what he does with adult patients. Here, first of all, it is necessary to determine the amount of damage to the teeth by caries and the possibility of treating these teeth. We remind you that the hygienist does not treat teeth, for this you will need to contact the dentist
After treatment, it will be very important to visit the hygienist again. It will coat your child's teeth with a special compound that will prevent their decay and demineralization. This will make it possible to keep the teeth he althy until they are replaced with molars.
Instead of a conclusion
A dental hygienist is a very important doctor who is undeservedly forgotten by us. We come to dentistry only when something hurts. And treatment in this case requires a lot of time and money. If you take care of the condition of the oral cavity in advance, you can seriously save on treatment later.
