I'm a dental hygienist. My job is not only physically demanding but it is emotionally draining so this is a Public Service Announcement. If you're feeling offended, build a bridge and get over it.
When your hygienist asks you why you haven't been flossing, these are not acceptable excuses: "I've been really busy" or "I never have time". Really? You have time to brush but not an extra minute to floss? Did you know there are 1,440 minutes in a day? Brushing should take two of those minutes and flossing only one. That's three minutes, people! Sheesh.
When your hygienist asks you to open, that means open your mouth as wide as you can and keep it open. That doesn't mean open slightly and then proceed to slowly close back down and that doesn't mean open only wide enough for our dental mirror to enter. How do you eat a hamburger with that mail slit of an opening?!
When your hygienist lays you back to begin working and you put up a fit because you feel like you're going to slide out of the chair, here's a news flash: we don't care. We have to spend eight hours of our day contorting our bodies to make sure we can adequately see into your dark cave of a mouth and if laying you back all the way is how we can accomplish that, then it's happening. Besides, we're tipping you back into a reclined position, if you can't go back like that, how in the world do you sleep on your flat bed all night?
When you arrive to your dental hygiene appointment and have not brushed your teeth (hopefully that is not a daily occurrence) I can guarantee your cleaning is going to last longer than it should. I realize that you don't clean the house before the maid comes but the maid isn't scraping around your soft, squishy mouth with sharp instruments. Do yourself a favor, brush like your life depended on it.
When your dental hygienist is using instruments that involve water and we ask that you breath through your nose to avoid fluid inhalation, close your throat and breathe through your nose!! This is an anatomical bonus God gave us during creation, I know you can do it! You can't breathe underwater, don't kid yourself.
And finally, for the love of all things holy, STOP reading the exaggerated *crap* that's posted by random individuals regarding fluoride and dental x-rays! Just stop reading in entirely. It's not scientific. It's not correct. It's crap and it was probably written by your crazy next-door-neighbor who knows nothing about anything and most definitely did not go to dental school, did not reference the published, legitimate research journals and more than likely does not have adequate oral health but has convinced themselves that if they drink a green juice every morning and 'pray about it', they won't get cavities. Oh please.
This has been a Public Service Announcement from your dental hygienist....or at least a dental hygienist who may be unofficially speaking on behalf of all practicing dental hygienists....well, all except those who are Mother Theresa incarnate but I think they're just robots posing as real clinicians.
We go home covered in your spit and splatter nastiness just so you can have a better smile.
Your welcome.
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