For the love of dental hygiene

I have patients ask me all the time, "Do you actually like your job? I think it has got to be really gross." Well, yes most of us do actually like what we do. So to all of you who are patients and think our job as a dental hygienist is gross, let me clue you in.

For me when I look in your mouth it is not a matter of just "clean" or "dirty". When I see what you might consider "dirty" or "gross" those are not the words that cross my mind. To me I do not see clean or dirty, I see health and disease. When I see disease I know that my skills and expertise can help take your mouth from a disease state to health- with your help. Don't get me wrong- we absolutely see things that are "gross", like cheetos or oreos in every crevice of a child's mouth. But when that little guy sits in my chair with orange colored teeth, I don't gross out- I think his mother must have it out for me, because who in the world feeds their child oreos or cheetos right before a dental appointment? Someone with a vendetta against a hygienist I'm sure. For those of you who get embarrassed in the dental chair or who avoid going because you are worried we will think you are "gross" take this hygienists assurance we see you as an individual with a brain, and a heart and needs and dreams. When we see plaque and tarter we don't ever think, "eww" we think "I can help".


For those of you who decided to become a nurse instead of a dental hygienist (I've met several) because you think the mouth is oh so "yucky", I am pretty sure saliva and plaque cannot hold a candle to the grossness of puke and feces, just sayin.....

Happy Sunday.