My dh was told by a hygienist at his last cleaning that he needs to switch flosses. The reason. The "tape type floss doesn't remove plaque, it polishes it!" wtf? This was after she only scraped a couple of areas for 2 minutes, lol.

Anonymous wrote:I just got back from my bi-yearly dental check up. I am fortunate to have pretty good teeth (only 2 cavities in my life 35+ years ago) and I do brush and floss regularly.

Does anyone feel like a scolded child when the dental hygenist talks to you about what you should be doing or asks about your flossing or what type of toothbrush you use or whatever? I get irrationally angry every time they talk to me about my routine. I have never had a dental hygenist that I didn't feel like she was a condescending scold.

Am I the only one who seethes in the dentist chair? I don't say anything back, I just silently fume.

Anyone else?

Dental hygienists are the worst! You have good teeth. Just smile and nod. I have so many restorations, implants, etc and I dgaf what the hygienists say. I was abused and neglected as a child and all my problems stem from that. I won't be shamed by anyone. You should feel proud that you take great care of your teeth...I do now, too.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you’re getting angry. Smile and nod and if everything in your mouth is fine just keep doing what you’re doing.

No one likes being scolded like a child, but it's especially annoying when you haven't done anything "wrong".

Oh yes. I hate going to the dentist and this is why. I think a lot of people who become dental hygienists hate their jobs because many are like this. And yes, I brush and floss twice a day, go to the dentist regularly, etc. They are still scolds, and sometimes can be very rude.

I actually switched dentists recently because of the hygienist. He'd suggested during a prior appointment that I get a certain toothbrush (the iO). Even though he was rude about it, I looked into the toothbrush and thought it was a good investment, so I actually bought one. Continued to also floss daily and use a water pik a couple times a week just to be thorough.

At my next appointment, he was complaining again that I was doing a good job with my teeth. He brought up this toothbrush again and I told him that actually I had bought it and was using it. And then he accused me of lying! That was the last straw.

It's truly baffling. I've never encountered a field like this where the people are almost universally unpleasant. The odd rude nurse, sure. But dental hygienists as a group just seem like miserable people.

Anonymous wrote:I just got back from my bi-yearly dental check up. I am fortunate to have pretty good teeth (only 2 cavities in my life 35+ years ago) and I do brush and floss regularly.

Does anyone feel like a scolded child when the dental hygenist talks to you about what you should be doing or asks about your flossing or what type of toothbrush you use or whatever? I get irrationally angry every time they talk to me about my routine. I have never had a dental hygenist that I didn't feel like she was a condescending scold.

Am I the only one who seethes in the dentist chair? I don't say anything back, I just silently fume.

Anyone else?

They are doing their job and making dental small talk. They ask about your toothbrush sometimes certain offices promote certain type/company with whom they have a partnership or from where they get their products.

I'm pp and I don't think I've ever been to a dentist or ortho where the hygienists and all staff haven't been beyond pleasant.

No, I don't feel scolded. It's a checklist.

BTW I love pp's hilarious response that she knows she isn't flossing her teeth!

I get it OP. It's annoying AF. Ignore some of the witches posting here.

^ some

I love mine! She’s hilarious. Tells me TMI a lot. We get on dime crazy topics. I’m dead honest about what I do and don’t do with my teeth.

She does a good job. Even with my very limited flossing- at 56 my teeth and gins are very healthy. My few cavities were all in elementary school. I did do Invisalign in 2020.

I don’t get why you’re getting angry. Smile and nod and if everything in your mouth is fine just keep doing what you’re doing.

Dental hygienists are the "bad cop."

I wish they understood that if they are super aggressive it just makes me not go to the dentist.

I switched to the kindest young doctor who had just opened his practice post dental school, and it’s the first time in my life I don’t mind bc his hygienist is so much gentler and gives what feels like constructive criticism instead of reprimand. Everything is explained thoroughly. Nobody had ever told me some of the pointers I got like specific motion around gum line.

Your anger is really concerning OP. Please seek counselling.

Anonymous wrote:They are taught in school and by the dentist to ask you these questions. It's nothing to get angry about. They see 7-8 patients a day and truthfully it's pretty boring and repetitive.
Some patients were never taught anything about dental hygiene so they must treat everyone the same. It does not matter how clean your teeth are. I'm married to the dentist and the hygienist treats me the same way.

"They see 7-8 patients a day"-what office is this? That's not a full schedule at all and if you were really married to a dentist you'd know this.