ORAL HEALTH THERAPY
Benefits of visiting our Oral Health Therapist (OHT).
An Oral Health Therapist (OHT) specialises in preventative dental care and giving patients the tools to be able to better manage their own oral health.
They can assist you with:
- Treatment of gum disease (periodontal therapy).
- Routine dental treatment for children and young adults.
- Preventive dental care for all ages (fluoride, fissure sealants, saliva testing, diet counselling, x-rays).
- Tooth whitening and mouth guards.
- Active maintenance for all ages.
- Education of oral and general health.
- Comprehensive risk assessment for dental diseases.
Gum disease:
Gum disease (periodontal disease) is an often silent disease which can result in the loss of teeth. In addition to this, gum disease has been linked to health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, pregnancy complications and more.
As part of your visit they will:
- Discuss your individual risk for developing gum disease.
- Assess you for any signs of gum disease.
- Discuss your options for treating any established disease.
- Help you to manage and maintain your oral health with customised oral hygiene instructions for individual needs.
Treatment for children and young adults:
In addition to treating gum disease, they can also provide dental treatment to children and young adults. They will ensure that your child's first dental visit is a fun and positive experience which will help them to develop good dental habits which they can carry into adulthood.
An OHT can provide:
- Examinations and diagnosis of dental conditions.
- Restorations/fillings.
- Extractions of baby teeth if needed
- Pulp treatment of baby teeth
- Protective sealants.
Link between oral health and general health:
The health of the oral environment can play a significant role on the health of the entire body. Scientific research has shown that the bacteria associated with gum disease (periodontal disease) has been linked to complications with general health such as:
- Increase risk of heart disease
- Increase risk of stroke
- Pregnancy complications
- Complication with artificial joints
- Trouble controlling blood sugar levels in people with diabetes
Having regular check ups and dental cleans can help reduce you risk of these health complications and help maintain overall general health. The team at K & L Dental Group not only want to take care of your dental needs but also help you maintain general health as well. As part of a preventive appointment with our OHT, they, can also help you out in the following ways to take care of your overall health:
- Blood pressure testing
- Extra oral examination
- Oral cancer screening
