Dental hygienists! Made to feel like a child!

So did you tell her there’s no need to be rude?

A hygienist recommended that I needed a deep clean costing well over £100 on top of what I had already paid. I returned to the dentist a week later to complete my treatment and asked him if I needed the deep clean - he said “no, you are fine”.
Was the hygienist just trying to make extra cash?

My hygienist is lovely. Two visits a year with Denplan - always see her first then the check up with the equally lovely dentist.

I haven't got good teeth, but no dentures yet. I think many younger hygienists forget how poor dental care was 60 or 70 years ago when we were growing up, and that experience of initial poor care has dogged us throughout our lives.

I have Denplan as all local practices went private about 18years ago and which includes 4 hygienist visits a yeat 2 dentist appointments X-rays fillings repairs emergency treatment . My teeth have always been awful and every tooth is filled but at £30 a month i feel it is a bargain! I do not like going to the hygienist but she is very pleasant - im going again Weds. (the previous hygienist was quite brutal and didnt have a good chairside manner).

A good example of 'it's not what you say but how you say it' Chrisks.

Despite being private, I didn't see my dentist or hygienist for almost 2 years so changed. On my first visit to our new dentist she said "I don't want to be rude" so I said "then don't be".

I was very upset when I left but decided to give her another try and am so glad I did. She's very good and the best dentist I've ever had.

She was rude and if you do see her again and don't like the way she speaks to you, tell her.

They forget teeth are harder to keep clean as we get older.

I spend longer and longer on my teeth it seems.
Toothbrush
Floss
Interdental brushes
Interspace toothbrush (for back corners)
Two sorts of toothpaste...

But I've not had any gum bleeding for years now! Not even (normally) during scale and polish.. Hooray!

I think it's definitely worth the time and effort.

My dentist always does my descaling after my checkup. It is agony and the the gums always bleed heavily. He also tends to infer the bleeding is because I don’t clean my teeth properly. This is untrue. My meno specialist says bleeding is common as we age due to the skin thinning. Possibly some dentists and hygienists are a little ageist. They forget teeth are harder to keep clean as we get older.

Thank you for your replies. Made me feel better! Seems to be only one hygienist at the practice and the dentists never seem to stay long. She always seems quite stressed. I’m going to look at changing to another practice if I can. I’m in my 70’s and do not pay a fortune to be told off and made to feel so uncomfortable!

Floradora9

I get 4 free sessions per year with mine through my dental plan but I refuse to go 4 times a year and just go twice. The receptionist keeps telling me I have paid for 4 but I just hate her chattering on the whole time . I just refuse to let her do the polishing bit .

I always refuse the polishing as well….

My dentist’s fees have rocketed since covid. I think patients are paying for new ventilation systems and they’ve just bought a state of the art CT scanner.
Visiting the hygienist is always expensive and a bit of an ordeal. I think it is normal to offer advice about brushing and using TePe’s and to record inflammation and plaque levels. I don’t mind if it helps me keep my teeth longer, and only lasts about 20 minutes.

yes ! felt awful, it was a most uncomfortable, expensive experience, told off for neglecting my teeth when I had
to wait twelve months to see the dentist/hygienist anyway.
I wasn’t thrilled with the result, they didn’t look or feel much better to be fair.
My dentist is wonderful, young, keen, pleasant, smiley, but
Don’t get me started on the greasy haired power mad young receptionists, massive eyeroll.

I would waste no time in complaining to the dental practice manager - there is no need for anyone to be rude to patients, whether they be the dentist, receptionist, hygienist.....not acceptable under any circumstances.

I get 4 free sessions per year with mine through my dental plan but I refuse to go 4 times a year and just go twice. The receptionist keeps telling me I have paid for 4 but I just hate her chattering on the whole time . I just refuse to let her do the polishing bit .

We used to have a private dentist who was good at his job, pleasant and gentle but his hygienist was a nightmare, very opinionated and so condescending. She also caused a lot of pain, I always came out bleeding like a stuck pig. I am pretty ancient (as are my teeth!) so not perfect by any means but I do try hard to clean properly, so I did not appreciate being told off like a naughty child. It cost £70 for a twenty minute session which she spent half the time reiterating what she had told me six months ago rather than getting on with cleaning. We reluctantly left and went to an NHS dentist who is not as good but the hygienists are all so gentle and polite, I do not enter quaking in fear.

He sounds lovely Primrose53. Our dentist seems very young (but probably isn't). He took over the practice just before Covid and of course lost his income. He's considered self employed and it isn't actually a business so missed out on all sorts of grants and furlough payments. The government did finally realise that dentists didn't fit in to their compensation schemes and I think did make it up eventually but it must have been a horribly worrying time for the poor chap. Then all their work practises had to change for Covid protection purposes so they could hardly see any patients for major work. Huge waiting list built up.
The poor young man and his valiant staff do their very best (but I'm still glad the hygeinist has gone!)

My new dentist is great. He is Bulgarian and so smiley and cheerful. His English is not brilliant but he really does try. He says “very well done” and uses your first name after everything you do, even just sitting down. 🤣

Last time I went in he said “bless your heart” as we were talking and I had to laugh. I asked him where that came from and he said most of his patients here say it and he likes it so he picked it up and uses it often. I said “bless your heart then” and we both laughed.

Chrisks

I wouldn’t have minded if she had been light hearted but she was very stern. Told me that they allow a percentage of 10% plaque. My back teeth were reading 40% apparently! Do I need to be told this?

I think you do need to be told as your routine is not working, I would rather know as it can cause problems later on.

I am not sure there is a light-hearted way of saying you have 40% plaque on your back teeth.

If you don't change your teeth cleaning routine then all hygienists are going to say the same.

I don't like going, but feel I should (for now). I take my strongest painkillers before I go, then laugh and joke with them. They go on about looking after my gums - and I just say 'You are kidding, surely? You wouldn't put up with these teeth and you know it. I bet you wouldn't even go out with this horsey grin'

They do try to tell me my measurements and make suggestions about improving things - all in a very serious tone. I just laugh, as we're not on the same page at all. I can't wait to have them all out and some nice implants instead.

We all have to pay so we choose who we like. Someone rude like that wouldn’t last 5 minutes here, there are loads of dentists. I have a lovely one who I have had for over 30 years but he is going to retire soon so I will be on the lookout for a new one. I ask friends , word of mouth seems to be the best way to go ( pun not intended!)

Don’t tar us all with the same brush . I’m a hygienist with 42 years experience. I’m not patronising to my patients, I try to be positive and suggest ways to adjust brushing , flossing etc , which seems to work. I also use a topical anesthetic prior to scaling . I retired last year and got loads of lovely presents and cards from my patients .
As for the measurements of plaque etc, we have to inform you and record this in our notes, largely thanks to the complaint culture.

I don't like going to my hygienist but he is respectful and consults me before doing procedures. and of course checks for any medical problems.. this is professional behaviour and I would definitely complain or change practitioners if I was treated as you have been.. this bullying behaviour is not acceptable it sounds horrible..

I had a dental hygienist and just stopped going. It was a form of torture. I came out feeling like I'd done a round with Mike Tyson. So until she goes I'm not going back!

Yes. Lists round here are closed. I do like the dentist himself though but not as much as his predecessor.

To all those saying change practice, it isn't always that simple - or at least it certainly isn't in this area. Most dentists in this area aren't taking on new patients at all - or have very long waiting lists.

How good is your dentist? In my experience hygienists come and go, but a good dentist is worth treasuring.
I don't blame the hygienists for criticising the amount of plaque, and I am the one to blame for it, but there are ways of doing it, and apart from one who lectured me about diet and smoking (I wasn't), they have always very kind and given me good advice.