Bc. Kristína Skokňová has studied dental hygiene at 3. Medical Faculty of Charles University in Prague and several years of practice.
With what expectations did you come to Slovakia and to the Váš Lekár Polyclinic?
I guess I didn’t have expectations. I take it as a challenge. This concept is attractive to me – also because it is completely new. I’m looking forward to getting all creative with my colleagues here.
Since you have been working in Prague, what convinced you to come back to Slovakia?
My whole return was actually a coincidence. I came across an advertisement that the clinic was looking for reinforcements. I was intrigued by this unusual and sophisticated project, as well as by the goal it aims to achieve.
The concept of prevention and modern healthcare is very attractive to me. I too am in a profession that is primarily concerned with basic prevention and trying to prevent something that may be a problem in the future.
It was a great challenge for me to come back home to Slovakia for this job opportunity.
If you had to tell your clients and patients something, what would it be?
Let them not be afraid to come for dental hygiene and let them start taking it as a part of their life. I used to think, before I went to school, that all people would end up with false teeth eventually – and that may not be true at all.
In the past, there was not such an emphasis on oral hygiene. Many clients, especially the elderly, have not been guided to good oral hygiene habits. This would prevent not only tooth decay or gingivitis, but also subsequent invasive dental procedures or tooth loss. These diseases can be easily treated or prevented with regular dental hygiene visits with proper instruction on brushing techniques.
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So genetics doesn’t affect tooth decay and gingivitis?
People shouldn’t blame genetics for their cavities or inflamed gums. This determines, for example, the position of the teeth or the size of the jaw. Dental caries is a multifactorial, microbial and sugar-potentiated disease. This means that we can inherit bad habits of brushing our teeth and eating a diet rich in simple sugars.
A simple rule applies: a clean tooth does not decay and a healthy gum does not bleed.
What problems do patients most often come to your clinic with?
The most common is gingivitis, with perhaps 8 out of 10 patients coming down with it. However, it is a disease that can be easily cured with the right help and better brushing technique. We can quickly get the periodontium healthy and then we just maintain it.
In addition to inflammation, there are problems with tartar and pigmentation. In all cases, cooperation and how the client follows the recommendations of the professional is very important.
Also the dental hygienist, Bc. Kristína Skokňová is part of the expert team of Váš Lekár Polyclinic. More information about the dental hygiene clinic can be found on this link.
Examinations that you can undergo in our dental hygiene clinic
- Initial preventive examination
- Tartar treatment
- Fluoridation
- Parodontology
- Teeth whitening
- Client education
