Dental Hygienists – They treat more than just teeth

Whole body health

Dental hygienists do perform preventive and therapeutic services, but oral health is inextricably tied to whole-body health.  Neglecting one’s oral health can have very serious consequences. Something as seemingly harmless as bleeding gums—a sign of gum disease—is equivalent to an open wound that allows bacteria to enter the bloodstream and affect the rest of the body. Preventative dental care is essential to an overall healthy lifestyle.

They can save a life

Hygienists can save lives in many ways, such as through early diagnosis of high blood pressure and diabetes. But clearly the most obvious example is through the early detection of oral cancer. Oral cancer kills one person in this country every hour. Oral cancer is the only major cancer where the death rate has not declined over the last 40 years.  Oral cancer kills as many Americans as skin melanoma. If you are diagnosed with oral cancer, your chance of being alive after five years is only about 50 percent.

They give back

Dental hygienists are by nature and trade a group that take pleasure and pride in helping others.  Giving back to their communities comes naturally to them.  Hygienists across the country educate older adults on good oral care and travel to schools to place sealants on the teeth of students.  No matter what form it takes, dental hygienists around the country give back to their communities in the way they know best, educating the people on dental hygiene and preventive oral care.