Smile! It’s Dental Hygienist Appreciation Week

A special shout out to all our fabulous periodontal hygienists as we celebrate Dental Hygienist Appreciation Week here at Pennsylvania Center for Dental Implants and Periodontics.

Our fabulous periodontal hygienists are licensed professionals who educate patients about periodontics, offer home oral hygiene technique improvements, help spot oral health issues and supply periodontal cleaning at regular intervals to control gum disease.

Periodontal Cleaning Goes Deeper Than Regular Cleaning

You might wonder why we want you to see both your general dentist and a periodontist regularly if you have gum disease. Here’s why: At a regular dental visit (known as dental prophylaxis, or a prophy) you receive a routine cleaning of the top of crowns of your teeth above the gum line. The office will remove plaque and stains that may not have been removed with daily brushing and flossing. The term “prophylaxis” stems from the Greek word “phylax” meaning guard. Your dentist will try to guard you from oral care issues by taking x-rays and checking for cavities and/or filling teeth as needed.

At our periodontal office, we’ll utilize special tools and procedures to remove plaque UNDER the gumline for individuals with deep “pockets” from gum disease. Non-surgical but critically important treatments like scaling and root remove stubborn “calculus” from deep under your gum line. Our goal is to check for increased pocket depth and stop related bone loss. You’ll be asked to come in perhaps every 3-4 months for our periodontal hygienists to keep the disease in check. There is no cure for periodontal disease, but we can normally keep your oral health stable with your help!

Don’t hesitate to bring up any questions or concerns with Lori, Maria, Tanya, Kelly or Bagena during your next visit at either our Philadelphia or Ambler practice location. Contact us today if you haven’t already scheduled your periodontal hygiene visit!