Prophylaxis, tooth cleaning and fluoride treatment
The preventive craft at the chair
Prophylaxis is the part of dental care that prevents rather than repairs. The education assigns prophylaxis an independent subject lasting several weeks, and supragingival tooth cleaning — removal of deposits above the gum line — is one of the tasks you should eventually be able to perform independently.
§Teeth cleaning: plaque, tartar, and discoloration
Soft deposits (plaque) and hard deposits (tartar) are removed with a combination of hand instruments (scalers and curettes) and mechanical apparatus, e.g. ultrasonic equipment. You must also be able to distinguish between external discolorations (from e.g. coffee, tea or tobacco that sit on the tooth surface) and internal discolorations (which sit inside the tooth itself and cannot be polished away). During the work, correct finger support and ergonomics are central — this protects both the patient's tissue and your own joints during repeated, precise movements.
§Plaque and gingival registration
To make oral hygiene concrete for the patient, plaque can be stained with a dye that shows exactly where the deposit sits, and the condition of the gum tissue (gingiva) can be recorded. This makes it possible to point directly to the places the patient misses during daily tooth brushing and to follow the development from visit to visit.
§Fluoride — the most well-established prevention
Fluoride strengthens enamel and makes it more resistant to acid attacks from plaque bacteria and can in early stages actually stop an incipient caries lesion. Fluoride is given in several ways — in toothpaste for daily use as a rinse or as a professional fluoride treatment at the clinic with a higher concentration. The education requires knowledge of fluoride's caries-inhibiting effect the different administration methods and the toxicology behind it — too much fluoride at once can be harmful so dosing and method must be followed carefully.
| Fluoride form | Usually used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fluoride toothpaste | Daily at home | The foundation of daily prevention |
| Fluoride rinse | Extra protection at increased caries risk. | Used as recommended, not as a replacement for brushing |
| Professional fluoride treatment | On the clinic, higher concentration | Performed by the assistant after training dosed precisely. |
§Fissure sealing and SEAL treatment
The chewing surfaces of the molars have natural grooves (fissures) where the brush has difficulty reaching. Fissure sealing closes these grooves with a thin-flowing material so bacteria and food debris cannot accumulate there. SEAL treatment is a related, simpler sealing method used especially in early preventive efforts. Both are typical delegated tasks for the assistant when the indication and material choice have been assessed.
§Health Education in Practice
All prevention works best when the patient themselves understands and can use it. Show the technique, let the patient try, and tailor the message to the individual's daily life and age — that's the essence of the health education approach the education emphasizes in the prophylaxis course.