If you’re concerned about keeping your teeth and gums healthy, you’re in the right place.
Jonathan Portner, who provides a top quality, caring service to his patients at the Portner Pittack Dental Practice, is here to pass on his expert advice to ease your worries about the health of your teeth and gums. Here he answers a question about dental hygienists …
Question:
"I don't like the hygienists at my practice although my dentist is very nice, would it be unprofessional to ask my dentist to clean my teeth, I would be very prepared to pay the extra for this.
Also are waterpik's any good?"
Jonathan says:
"It would not be unprofessional to ask your dentist to clean your teeth. However good hygienists often spend longer and are better at routine cleaning than many dentists whose time should be spent on more complex dentistry.
Personally, I clean the teeth on about 6 patients who have either gum problems or extensive crown and bridgework and who prefer me to clean their teeth.
We have 3 hygienists who are very sympathetic, caring and highly skilled in educating patients to prevent and control dental disease and are gentle but thorough in applying their skills. If your dentist does not want to clean your teeth you could consider finding a hygienist elsewhere who would.
Waterpiks are not bad at dislodging large soft deposits such as food between the teeth but my patients find them messy and less effective than other aids at removing the tenacious biofilm of bacteria called plaque.
For this, a combination of small interdental brushes (Tepes or Interprox Plus) or Glide Floss Piks are easy to use when you have been shown how."
You can find out more about how Jonathan Portner can help keep your teeth healthy and the services his practice provides here.