Bring on the Pain

When did I become a mean hygienist?

Today I realized I was being more aggressive than I needed to be. This patient of mine had not been to the dentist for about 15 years. He brushes 4 min each day. His tissues are healthy-no inflammation and only a few 4 mm areas. He has all 32 teeth! His third molars were really clean. There was not much subra-gingival calculus so I figured it had to be sub-gingival--nope. He did have some don't fool your self but as I was digging and digging and he was just laying there taking the abuse I realized that I was being quite aggressive and I wondered...when did I become that kind of hygienist? I used to believe it was alright to leave a piece of calc here or there if it got the patient to enjoy the experience and come back. But somehow I have changed. I guess I am so worried about leaving a piece of calc that I just cannot be the gentle hygienist I used to be. Now tonight instead of worrying about if I left a piece of calculus I worry that I wont see this patient again for 10 years---and he was so cute! He did the cutest thing. You know when you are working on the lower anterior teeth and the patient tenses up their lower lip muscle and it knocks you off your fulcurm? Well I am in the habit of holing my left thumb there to protect my patient from knocking me off. I dont want to slip and cut them!! Well I felt this patients lip tense up and then relax then tense up and then as I applied more pressure to counteract his tensing he would relax again. I could tell it was a conscious effort for him to do that. He also was very concerned about where his tongue was. He was the most conscientious patient I have ever had---he is married---Now I understand him a bit better (I know him outside of work). Anyway, how do you not be the mean hygienist and yet remove all deposit?