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Most people have their teeth professionally cleaned by a dental hygienist. These para professionals undergo two to four years of training (most earn a two-year associate’s degree) in order to clean your teeth, x-ray them, and check them out for bigger problems (this is when your dentist might come in to inspect your teeth further). Dental hygienists also assist dentists when your cavities need filling, and during other oral/dental medicine procedures.

Your hygienist therefore knows your mouth much better than you do.

In other words, it’s wise to make your cleaning experience as pleasing as possible – for your dental hygienist!

Read below for some tips on how to do so.

• If you wear lipstick, remove it before sitting in the dental chair. Lipstick can get on your teeth, on the hygienist’s tools, even on expensive x-ray equipment. It can get in the way of a thorough cleaning. You can put it back on as soon as your cleaning is complete.
• Brush your teeth before coming in. Floss, too, if possible. Also, if you can, rinse your mouth out with a mouthwash before sitting down. Ask the hygienist for some, if necessary. She may say you don’t need to – she’s seen a lot worse in other patients’ mouths – but, still: it’s the courteous thing to do.
• You hate to wait for appointments and so do other patients. If you’re late, it creates a domino effect that will affect every patient behind you. Be on time to your appointment. If you know you’re going to be more than 10 or 15 minutes late, be polite and call the office to let them know.
• Your hygienist may ask you questions as he readies you for your cleaning. You two also may chat during the procedure. But try to keep the talking to a minimum once work has begun – it makes the hygienist’s job much easier and you’ll be done more quickly. Don’t feel that you’re being rude if you’re being quiet. Your hygienist understands.
• Many people say that their gums never bleed until they come in for a cleaning.  The hygienist did not make your gums bleed. Bleeding gums are an early sign of gingivitis or gum disease. If your gums bleed during the cleaning (but not at home when you brush), it’s still a sign that you’re not taking good care of your teeth and gums. To ensure your gums don’t bleed during a professional teeth cleaning, brush twice a day and floss at least once. And do so consistently.
• Keeping your mouth open – and wide open – can get uncomfortable after a short while. It’s perfectly OK to close your mouth and indicate you need to take a break. If you’ve had to hold your mouth open for a long-ish time and you have cotton or a dental instrument in it that your hygienist has indicated needs to stay in there for a while, come up with a signal before he places cotton or instruments in your mouth so that the hygienist can give you an idea of how much longer or remove them, if absolutely necessary.

Dental hygienists want your visit with them to be as pleasant as possible. These health professionals want you to speak up if you’re ever uncomfortable or nervous. In fact, if you’re very stressed about dental visits, speak to your hygienist or dentist before sitting in the chair: they probably have some sedation therapies at their disposal to help calm you.

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