What Your Dental Hygienist Can Tell from Your Exam

Dental hygienists have been thoroughly trained on the ins and outs of everything related to dental hygiene. The hygienists here at Auburn Family Dental know how to teach our patients how to keep up with their oral health and they are able to tell if you’re practicing good dental hygiene or not!

For example, a dental hygienist is able to tell if you floss regularly or if you’ve only begun to floss in the days leading up to your dental appointment. If the bacteria are allowed to build up along the gum line, there will be redness, tenderness, and inflammation of the gum tissue. The gums will also bleed easily, which our hygienists will make note of.

What Your Dental Hygienist Can Tell from Your Exam

• Pregnancy – During pregnancy, almost half (40%) of women will experience pregnancy gingivitis. Additionally, it’s common to develop a pyogenic granuloma (also known as a ‘pregnancy tumor’) on the gum tissue. Luckily, these tumors are benign and should go away after you give birth.
• Nail Biting – If you’re a habitual nail-biter, the evidence will show on your teeth. Signs of nail biting include chipping or cracking of the teeth, or rapid wear and tear. This damage is not caused by the fingernails, but of the contact made between the upper and lower teeth during nail-biting.
• Halitosis (Bad Breath) – Bad breath can have many causes, but chronic halitosis can be a sign of something more severe.
• Eating Disorder – Certain eating disorders, especially bulimia, can cause damage to very specific areas of the teeth and mouth. Our hygienists may be able to tell that you’re suffering from an eating disorder just because of this particular wear on the teeth.
• Thumb or Finger Sucking – Our hygienists will be able to tell if you suck your thumb or fingers by the front teeth protrude. This habit can also have a negative impact on the way you speak.
• Diabetes – Some of the dental signs of diabetes can include increased sensitivity, bleeding and swelling of the gum tissues, and gums that bleed easily. These can all be signs of a sugar imbalance, which can also lead to lack of saliva production, causing tooth decay and dental cavities.

Here at Auburn Family Dental, the education of our patients is very important to us. We believe that more well-informed patients make better healthcare decisions and are more confident in making them. For more information on keeping your mouth and teeth healthy, please contact our Wichita, Kansas family dental office today.