A dental hygienist is responsible for providing professional dental cleaning services to patients. They use a variety of tools to clean teeth, remove plaque and tartar, and polish teeth. These tools include scalers (electric and portable), dental floss, specialized mirrors, scrapers, polishers, and an ultrasonic scraper. Additionally, they may use a floss with water to clean between teeth, an X-ray machine to identify and diagnose diseases and dental damage, and a slow hand brush with a round brush and paste to polish all surfaces of the teeth.
Communication between the patient and hygienist is also an important part of the process. Scalers are used to remove plaque and tartar from teeth. They come in both electric and portable varieties. Dental floss is used to clean between teeth.
Specialized mirrors are used to thoroughly examine the teeth. Scrapers are metal hook-shaped tools that are placed on the teeth above the gum line to scrape plaque and tartar. An ultrasonic scraper is used because it is easier for the patient to tolerate. It vibrates at its tip to gently remove plaque and provides a gentle stream of water to remove debris. Polishers are used after scraping to scrub teeth.
They are then treated with fluoride to protect them from tooth decay. X-rays can also help identify, diagnose and monitor diseases and dental damage that aren't visible to the naked eye during a routine visit. A slow hand brush with a round brush and paste is used to polish all surfaces of the teeth. Communication between the patient and hygienist is essential for successful dental cleaning. The hygienist should work systematically around the quadrants of the patient's mouth, cleaning along the gumline as well as the spaces between the teeth.
Tooth polishing isn't always part of every dental cleaning, as it can weaken enamel with overuse. Dental hygienists use a variety of tools during dental cleaning to ensure that patients receive quality care. These tools help them clean teeth, remove plaque and tartar, and polish teeth in order to protect them from tooth decay.
