Nasty...

We learned how to air-powder polish and rubber cup polish today. These techniques are used to remove stain.  The powder that we use in the air-powder polisher is sodium bicarbonate that is "mint" flavored. GAG!! Tasted like salty, warm water. I'm a fan of salt, but this was NAAAASTY.  After trying a couple of teeth with that, I worked on the rubber cup polisher, which is MUCH more pleasant.  With the rubber cup polisher we used toothpaste..yum! Muuuuuuch better than the nasty salt stuff. After Jamie got all my teeth nice and clean with the rubber cup polisher, they had her put on a fluoride varnish. Fluoride varnish is a film that they put over your teeth that releases fluoride into your teeth. LOVE the IDEA of the varnish, HAAAAATE the feeling!! I feel like I haven't brushed my teeth for a week! They are all fuzzy and gross! All I want to do is go home and brush my teeth, it's driving me CRAZY!! But, my teeth will become nice and healthy from my fluoride application.

workin' away!

We jumped right into working today. We disclosed our patient, and then started practicing scaling. Dr Hansen said that she can tell that I have worked as an assistant. She said that my form is very good and that she can tell that I am comfortable being in close proximity to my patient (this is good!).  I didn't get a chance to work with some of the instruments that I wanted to try out, but hopefully I will next time. Dr. Hansen was very helpful today, I like her constructive criticism, it will help me a ton!! I passed off the intraoral camera process evalution. Now I only have one more to pass off!!

hygienist in the making

Watch out world, here I come!! Today, I was the operator and Jamie was my patient. I started by going over Jamie's health history with her and taking her blood pressure.  After getting my instructor's signature, I proceeded with extraoral and intraoral exams. I probed one quad of teeth (half of the bottom teeth) and recorded the BFI% (bleeding free index).

patient day

I was a patient all day today. It was pretty relaxing and a little boring. Jamie worked on me today and she is the most gentle person ever!! She did an awesome job, she will be such a great hygienist. I felt very unproductive just sitting in a chair all day. I did get to pass off my tx plan process evaluation, so I got something done. Next time I get to be the operator though, which is very exciting! I am going to pass off my posterior scaling process evaluation next time as well, which is scary.. This semester is going so fast I can't believe it!

Dental Screening

Today we performed dental screenings on each other. I was partnered with Ashley. We looked in each other's mouths and charted any finding that we saw in each other's mouths. After this I got to pass off anterior scaling. I had a little trouble with it because Ashley has braces. It was a good experience though, because I am sure I will work on someone with ortho during practice. I'm glad that Ashley was a good sport!

purple tongue!

Today we used disclosing agent on each other, which was hilarious!  We all had purple mouths and tongues. The disclosing agent showed us areas in our mouths that have plaque left on them.  We got to brush each other's teeth and then practice whatever we wanted to. I worked on Michelle and she worked on me. I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed in myself.  I need to focus on some areas of my mouth a little more when I am brushing. It was an eye opening day for me!

Rise to the challenge

Today was a hard day for me. I don't know what my problem was, but I was getting so discouraged! We learned how to scale posterior teeth and I felt soooo awkward.  It was a little frustrating, but i'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. Luckily, I have amazing friends and co-workers that made me feel better. I sat down with a hygienist at work and showed her my scaling tecnique. She said that it looked good, and gave me a couple pointers, which was awesome. I am fortunate to have so many great people around to help me! This will be a challenge, but who doesn't like a good challenge, right?

get that calculus!!

We got to scale some calculus today!! (even though it was only on our typodonts). We learned how to scale anterior teeth today, so I scaled off all the calculus on the anterior teeth of my typodont. We also got to practice on each other. I need to work on my working stroke. I pull it too horizontally, it needs to be more vertical. They call that "getting up on your fulcrum." I'll get it soon, I know it.