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Dental Hygienist
Cleans teeth, takes X-rays, and educates patients about oral health — prevents dental disease.
Did you know?
Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. It is about 96% mineral, a higher share than any other tissue, including bone.
How subjects help
- Biology: Explain how plaque bacteria build up on teeth and lead to gum disease.
- Chemistry: Apply fluoride that strengthens tooth enamel and helps stop decay.
- Anatomy: Scrape hardened tartar from below the gumline without harming the gums.
- Communication: Teach children and adults how to brush and floss properly at home.
A famous name
Alfred Fones: Trained the first dental hygienist in 1906 and opened the first dental hygiene school in 1913.
Try it yourself: Stain and scrub an egg like a tooth
- Put one egg in a cup of cola and one in a cup of water or milk. The shell is like the enamel on your teeth.
- Guess what will happen, write your guess down and leave the cups overnight.
- Next day, lift the eggs out and compare their colours.
- Brush the stained egg gently in small circles with toothpaste for two minutes. How much of the stain comes off? (Do not eat the eggs afterwards.)
Dentists and dental hygienists polish away stains and plaque, and show patients how drinks and brushing change their teeth.
Adapted from Delta Dental: Egg-citing Experiment.
Also try: Take your pulse like a nurse.
Known for it in
USA, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Netherlands