Trans Zen Dental

The Truth Must Be Told

2008-08-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

Let me first begin by telling you how much effort it took on the behalf of Dr Bhatt to get me to admit I had a problem. I was in denial.

After that, I had surpassed denial and went into anger mode.

There was no convincing me that I had done anything wrong, let alone had a problem. But there it was, staring me in the face every single day:

I had a CAVITY!

I had to quickly drop out of all of the “CAVITY FREE CLUB” facebook groups that I had belonged to, agree to let Dr Bhatt look at it, and accept that I needed to do something about it before it got out of hand. For all you perfectionists out there, you know what I’m talking about. It’s like having a perfect driving record and then getting a parking ticket.

The BEFORE photo: My cavitiy started on the biting surface of my tooth and creeped onto the cheek side of the tooth. Not only that, but it was sitting underneath the band I have on the tooth from braces.

Putting my compulsions aside, I had to address my dental issue STAT! A simple filling would have fixed the problem, except for one small detail: I am currently wearing braces, and the cavity had formed underneath a band. While I love my orthodontist to death, he did ensure me that I wasn’t getting my braces off next week (I am actually awful about wearing my rubber bands) and so began the challenge.

WITHOUT HAVING TO STICK ME WITH A NEEDLE, Dr Bhatt gently removed the decay. The cavity was small but challenging to remove. I didn’t feel a thing. She checked to ensure she removed everything and placed a small filling. The material she used is a fluoride releasing filling, which means the area is secure from becoming a cavity again! It looks beautiful, feels great, and I didn’t have to get numb for it! We are now visiting the idea of possibly replacing some of my old sealants to prevent this from happening again.

The AFTER photo: a beautiful, tooth-colored restoration. I didn't have to take my band off, my tooth is healthy again, and I have absolutely no pain. Please forgive all the saliva!

With this cavity behind me, I have moved on with my life, and even better, I have admitted to myself that I had a problem. I have even joined a “ONLY ONE CAVITY CLUB” on facebook and am so thankful to everyone who helped me through this dark time in my life.

If you or someone you know is suffering from dental decay, help is available. Call your nearest Trans Zen Dental office today, toll free at 480.563.4936.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S BLOG

2008-07-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

We have finally hit the peak of summer! Temps are remaining above 100 degrees, that backyard pool is finally getting some use, and everyone’s taking their much anticipated family summer vacation.

Where I am from, the summer is the one season a year that people take every opportunity they can to be outside. While they may be loaded in mosquito repellant, Wisconsin-ites spend their summer days at the lake, visiting that near-by waterpark, enjoying jazz in the park, attending ethnic festivals and even simply enjoying a happy hour with co-workers in the Wisconsin sun.

Here in Arizona, I notice the exact opposite. Most people spend their summer days basking in the air-conditioned indoors, invest heavily in sunblock and sunglasses, take any opportunity to head out of town and anticipate the cooling winter ahead. Despite this, the summers here are beautiful and I know that deep down, us Arizona-ians do appreciate certain things about the cloud-less days of summer.

Love it or hate it, this summer is cookin’ and I’d like to leave you with a few healthful tips to get you through the rest of the summer.

1. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. Remember: just because you’re not thirsty doesn’t mean your body doesn’t need water. Especially as the days get hotter and hotter, it’s necessary to keep your body healthy and hydrated.

2. WEAR SUNSCREEN. Many believe that if they have a darker skin tone, they do not need to protect themselves from the sun. The truth is that the Phoenix sun puts everyone at risk for skin cancer if they do not take proper measures to protect themselves. Wear sunscreen, protect your eyes with UV sunglasses, use an umbrella, or wear a big hat to protect yourself.

3. EAT ORGANIC. This time of year, many fruits and veggies are in season and are very inexpensive. With the increase in pesticide use on produce, it is important to make sure you are purchasing organic foods to ensure you are not ingesting any unhealthy chemicals.

4. BE A LIFEGUARD. Make sure you are watching children when they are near the pool. They shouldn’t be running along the deck as they could slip, and even though they may be proficient swimmers or have floating toys, adult supervision is always required.

5. DO MORE THAN CRACK A WINDOW. Do not leave your dog or cat in the car during the summer months. Much publicity has been created around babies left in cars, but family pets are also commonly left in the car which can exceed 200 degrees in the Phoenix sun. Leave the air running or leave them at home!

For more hints about healthy summer tips, come visit us during our lecture series! Dr Bhatt and I are participating in the Whole Foods Market Summer Lecture Series along with several other practitioners and would like to invite you to come meet us in person!

Dr Christopher Bonin, Chiropractor, has discussed healthcare and wellness and how it relates to living a healthy lifestyle.

Tuesday, July 29th at 7:15pm in the produce section, Dr Bhatt and I will discuss dental wellness, heart healthy dentistry, relaxation techniques we use in the office, and how improving your dental health can prevent serious and chronic illness.

Tuesday, August 5th, Dr Frank Aoi, Japanese Acupuncturist, will discuss natural and traditional medicine, their incorporation into western medicine, and how you may benefit from natural medicine

Please contact Christine Lockwood at:

Whole Foods Market

10810 N. Tatum Blvd

Phoenix, AZ 85028

Phone: 602.569.7600

To RSVP and get more information.

My puppy, Darby, beating the Phoenix heat under a pool chair. Darby loves hanging out by the pool and definately doesn't mind if he had to take a dip in the pool with me!

Here I am with two of my room mates, Jordan and Laura. We are outside of the Colossal Cave in Tucson. Tucson is a great summer getaway because it is much cooler and there are fun events for everyone!

My friend (and another dental hygienist) Laura and I at the Glendale Jazz and Blues Festival. The whole valley has many awesome events going on throughout the summer. This was a great event because the music was hot, the food was delicious, and the weather was perfect!

Sharing the Spotlight

2008-07-15T13:23:00.001-07:00

Unless you have actually come through our office, you may not know how lucky I am to work with the people in this office. Everyone supports each other and I can not think of a better, more positive place to spend my nine hours a day. It is our belief that if we love working together, patients will love being a part of our practice, too.

Up until this point, you've heard from me. For this next blog, I'm passing the spotlight on to Dr Bhatt, who is going to discuss what it is like being on her side of the dental chair.

I know Dr Bhatt has enjoyed blogging this far, and I know you will enjoy her post, too!

A Smile Is a Curve That Sets Things Straight

2008-07-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

Conventional wisdom dictates that once you have found your look, you ought to stick with it. If you buy into that philosophy, though, you might be short-changing yourself. Let’s take a look at these statistics and it will really surprise you!

94 % of Americans polled said they notice a person's smile during the first encounter
99.7 % of Americans believe that a smile is an important asset
96 % of adults believe an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to a member of the opposite sex
75 % of adults polled feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person's chances for career success

And now for the killer:

Only 50% of adults polled are satisfied with their own smile

As an LVI-certified dentist I can help you keep your smile looking its best. I can design a smile that can change your face to appear more youthful, healthy and attractive. Features such as the size, length and position of your tooth can be chosen to provide facial symmetry and proportion. Feature such as shade of the tooth can be chosen based on skin color, gender and the patients’ desires.

The process starts by asking the patient questions in the initial consultation. The cosmetic consultation, which includes x-rays and photos, can help the doctor identify patients’ goals for a predictable result. The doctor and the team will help the patient select a smile from the LVI Smile Catalog based on facial characteristics.

LVI Smile Catalog

The doctor will then take study models and an occlusal bite registration for a diagnostic wax-up. The wax-up is a 3D rendition of the patients’ smile and a blueprint of what the final result will be. During the second consultation the doctor will present to the patient, the wax-up of the patients’ smile and before and after computer imaging photos which can be evaluated by the patient in detail rather than other patients’ photos or something abstract. This also allows the doctor to build the case in the patient’s mouth to the specified dimensions and allows the doctor to be as conservative as possible. Nothing is easier to attain than a goal that is stated clearly and is easily visualized by the patient. This is the highest form of doctor to patient communication.

3-D Wax Up

Shade Tabs

Do not leave your new smile to chance. Call today your smile awaits: (480)-563-4936

Actual Patient

Posted by Dr Mrinal Bhatt.

WHAT NOT TO WEAR

2008-07-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

In a society where tanning salons and Brazilian waxing spas out-number Starbucks stores, it’s no wonder people are becoming increasingly aware of the impact their looks can have on their life. In the dental field, I hear of it every day: people unable to order certain foods on the menu because they can’t chew it, people with crooked smiles, cracked teeth, and even those who prefer not to show their teeth to their own dentist! Most of those smiles come with a disclaimer. Before these patients open their mouths to me, they must declare their disclaimer: “my teeth are really crooked” or “I have lots of staining”. Either way, my patients warn me of their own insecurities before opening up.

What most people don’t realize is that almost all smiles have imperfections. These imperfections can range from a charismatic gap inbetween the front teeth to many missing and badly decayed teeth. Some people are born with such crooked teeth, they have actually paid for their orthodontist’s family vacation cruise to the Mexican Riviera. Others hide behind such badly stained teeth, they have actually purchased stock in Crest Whitestrips. Even those who have perfect teeth can have an ugly metal crown showing in the back when they smile. Some of those imperfections are wonderful and add a charismatic sense of personality to a smile. For many, those imperfections are what make those smiles unique. But for some, the itch for a perfect smile must be scratched.

In a society where faster internet and stronger coffee are a must, there’s no surprise that people are finding better and quicker ways to improve themselves, including their smile. The introduction of the hit TV show Extreme Makeover shed some light on common cosmetic dental problems. It also showed viewers how simple cosmetic procedures can enhance overall facial features. Celebrities have sought to be the first to have these cosmetic procedures done and their fans have followed suit. They have found fast and relatively painless ways to achieve the same smiles seen on TV.

This blog posting is the first of a two part blog. Part one will show that dental mis-haps can happen even to some of our most favorite (or bling-ing!) celebrities. Here, I will show you some celebrity smiles that could, in the very least, use a bit of an improvement. Commentary will describe what is wrong with the smile as well as quick procedures that can be done to improve the smile. Just think of this blog as What Not to Wear… except for your smile!

Tom Cruise: his midline is off (space between two front teeth isn’t in line with the rest of his face: gives his face an asymmetrical look and emphasizes his nose), inflamed gums, gummy smile, big teeth.

Recommendations: invisalign (invisible braces) to correct midline problems , dental cleaning (deep cleaning, also called scaling and root planing may be recommended) and gingivectomy to clean gum tissues and clear gummy smile, dental veneers.

Mike Tyson: large gap in the front (called a diastema), two esthetically un-pleasing gold teeth.

Recommendations: removal of gold crowns, dental veneers across visible top teeth, eye brow wax (kidding!).

Jon Heder: gummy smile, fluorosis of teeth (white, chalky discoloration of teeth).

Recommendations: dental cleaning to reduce inflammation of gum tissues, gingivectomy to correct gummy smile, dental veneers.

Kirsten Dunst: two front teeth lean inwards, other teeth buck out. Short teeth (two front teeth are long, others are not in proportion).

Recommendations: Invisalign (clear braces) to correct alignment of teeth, dental veneers for mis-shapen teeth (longer and rounded veneers can create a more effeminate smile).

Flavor Flav: can't BBQ this 4th of July? I know someone who could lend you their grill!

Recommendations: check your clock necklace and run, don’t walk, to the nearest dentist!

Jewel: crooked top teeth, crooked bottom teeth with chipping.

Recommendations: invisalign (invisible braces), ZOOM in-office whitening (commonly used on Extreme Makeover) small fillings for chipped bottom teeth.

A faster alternative: Lumineers on all top teeth

Avril Lavigne: pointy canine teeth (vampire teeth), crooked bite.

Recommendations: invisalign (invisible braces), ZOOM in office bleaching, lumineers (a brand name of veneers) on canine teeth.

Amy Winehouse: missing tooth, cracked tooth (way in the back), bulky teeth, inadequate spacing.

Recommendations: dental implant with all ceramic crown (ceramics look like natural teeth, they don't have an ugly metal underneath them), crown in the back, invisalign (invisible braces), and dental veneers.

If you have any questions regarding any of the recommended procedures above or think you may be a good candidate for some cosmetic dental work, please contact Trans Zen Dental for a free cosmetic consultation with Dr Mena Bhatt (480) 563.4936.

To be continued...

So You Think You Can Smile

2008-07-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Part two of my Hollywood smiles blog will complete my review of the good, the bad, and the ugly. In recap, part 1 discussed celebrity smiles that are less than perfect. I showed smiles we see everyday on the cover of US Weekly, and discussed possible options to cosmetically enhance these smiles.

I really like this blog because it shows that not only are celebrities actually just real people with everyday imperfections, but it also shows that they have placed a value in the appearance of their smile. Many have jumped on the cosmetic dentistry bandwagon and have loved the ride!

I must say, we have some very intelligent patients at our practice. Those who begin discussing their cosmetic concerns with Dr Bhatt have researched veneers and implants, know their benefits, but also know what a bad veneer looks like. We are moving into a new era where metallic white, symmetrical, blocky teeth are now just viewed as obviously restored teeth and are losing their appreciation. Patients want natural looking veneers, comfortable implants, and white teeth that don’t glow in the dark (who else has seen that Friends episode?). They want a full smile, and one that fits their facial features and skin tone. Some would say this is too demanding, but with the new materials in our dental labs and the comprehensive aesthetic education our cosmetic dentists have achieved, these wants are not only possible, but also affordable.

So, we’ve seen the ugly. Bring on the good and the bad:

American Idol finalist Elliot Yamin had far from perfect teeth when he began singing with the Idol crew. What was once a dull, crooked and broken smile has now been fully restored with the help of some quality cosmetic dentistry. Elliot’s dentist considered his larger than life personality along with his exaggerated facial features (especially his accentuated nose and large eyes) when constructing his dental veneers. This dentist did a beautiful job of making his smile look large and wide without making the veneers appear “too white”.

Whether she’s Hannah Montana or Miley Cyrus, we know one thing: Billy Ray has gotten her smile reconstructed at the young age of 15. Let’s start with the positives: her teeth are rounded, giving her a more feminine smile. Her two front teeth are accentuated and the other teeth are smaller, giving her a more youthful appearance. The color match is great, also. The negatives: these are only starter veneers. Her problem was a gummy smile, and so she had undergone gum surgery to remove excess gum tissues. The veneers are quite small, and for what they were given, the dentist did the best they could. Miley (or Hannah… whichever you prefer) still hasn’t matured into her facial features and is still expected to grow around her smile. Because she is so young, she will have to pay another visit to the dentist to get a more mature smile. Hopefully she will be old enough to drive herself to her next veneers appointment.

Country singer Keith Urban has more than a beautiful wife and flourishing career, he has a mouthful of quality dental veneers. Keith had many gapped and rotated teeth, and those photos are circa 1996. His new smile is great because it looks natural. The square front teeth look more masculine, and as with Elliot Yamin, his teeth were constructed larger to compensate for his larger nose. They fit the frame of his face very well, and the dentist even left a bit of a gap in between the two front teeth. This gap, commonly called a diastema, is viewed by many as a unique feature and one they wish to keep in their newly constructed smile.

Knocked Up’s Katherine Heigl wanted straight teeth before her real-life wedding and turned to the invisalign system. She was able to continue her acting career (which has flourished recently) and straighten her teeth without the metal mouth associated with braces. As beautiful as her smile is, I can’t help but to defend the invisalign system by saying that Miss Heigl never completed her treatment, and that is why you still see some teeth still out of line.

Who Wants to be a Millionaire’s Regis Philbin has improved his smile with 10 dental veneers. His obvious choice to improve his smile has enhanced his small facial features and widened his smile. He should have asked the audience or phoned a friend when it came to the color choice, however. While this color looks great on Halle Berry, these blue-ish veneers are too white for his skin tone. And THAT’s my final answer.

Sex and the City’s Sarah Jessica Parker has also followed suit and gotten herself a mouthful of dental veneers. Carrie Bradshaw’s smoking addiction is a great reason for Parker to don dental veneers. Veneers give permanent whitening and are excellent choices for smokers, or coffee, tea, or red wine drinkers. These stain-resistant veneers have one consideration that I am now beginning to see in the office: they were more than likely placed in the early 90’s. With t emergence of teeth whitening in society, teeth have a new kind of white now, and many people are having their current veneers or crowns replaced with new veneers that don a more appropriate, but natural white.

Rent Malcom X and you would almost argue with me on this one, but Denzel Washington also has a mouthful of veneers. He was actually asked to remove them for his part in the movie, and you can definitely see a noticeable difference. African American men can actually wear a very white veneer and pull it off, but I think Denzel went a bit too white on this one. A good rule of thumb: you don’t want your veneer whiter than the whites of your eyes.

Hilary Duff’s smile has been under constant critique by bloggers all over the web. In my opinion, her veneers are beautiful. They fit the frame of her face nicely and her lips fall naturally on them. They are a bit square at the edge which gives her a dominant look, but they are rounded to give her a more feminine smile. The color is white but is still natural. I love showing this photo to patients when they are working with the doctor on designing their smile. I feel Hilary has a very mature smile with beautiful feminine curves.

The truth is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and no one smile looks good on everyone. Porcelain veneers, dental implants and ceramic crowns are custom made to fit you. Your smile should reflect who you are and should make you feel good about yourself. A good cosmetic dentist will talk to you about your options, but will also get to know you. They will also want to know what you like in a smile and what they can do to enhance and design something you are proud of. We want you to feel confident in yourself and know that you can have a smile worth noticing.

Dr Mena Bhatt is an LVI-Global trained aesthetic dentist specializing in dental veneers, implants, and invisalign invisible braces. Her consultations are always free, and we welcome you to set up an appointment today to discuss what she can do to improve your smile.

Call Mary at 480.563.4936

Have a Star Spangled Weekend

2008-07-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite times of year is celebrating the 4th of July. What could be better than warm weather, parades, fireworks, watermelon seed spitting contests, and root beer floats? In my home town of Greendale, Wisconsin, the 4th of July is more than a paid holiday, it’s a festival!

A typical 4th of July in Greendale actually begins two days prior, when the Greendale Lion’s club sets up their tents and corn cob roasters. These tents add color to downtown Greendale and cause the entire village to smell of barbeque and cotton candy. The age 60 + gentlemen spend their entire Independence day weekend peeling corn, selling beer tickets, and grilling up authentic Milwaukee brats (with sauerkraut, of course). During the day, kids can purchase cheap tickets and enjoy carnival rides and games. The Greendale High School Marching Band always has their booth set up, and for about a dollar, you can try your hand at winning a goldfish. The coffee shops, bakeries, and Ricardo’s famous pizza shop are open all day and all night for passer bys.

The morning of the 4th, people are out before the sun is up, setting out blankets and lawn chairs to reserve their spot for the parade. The marching band is warming up and the floats are getting their finishing touches at the Southridge Mall parking lot. My uncle is captain of the Greendale Fire Department, and always rides first on the fire engine, followed by police, Clydesdale Horses, cheerleaders, baton twirlers, clowns, accordion bands, and many more.

Afterwards, everyone heads over to the now-crowded Ferches Malt Shoppe for a serving of their famous frozen custard. The rest of the day is spent with friends, family, and the largest barbeque you can get your hands on. At night, cover bands perform live down at the village in large beer tents. The Greendale fireworks show usually starts around 9:00, lasts for about 10 minutes, and is quickly followed by the cover bands starting up again. It’s a huge family event and a community spectacle.

If small town Greendale doesn’t suit your fancy, you can head down to Lake Michigan’s lake front and enjoy 13 stages of live music, beer, margaritas, boat rides, BINGO, carnival rides, and some of Milwaukee’s best food at Summerfest. Their Big Bang fireworks show, televised every year, is one of the many breathtaking features during the summer in Milwaukee, and the festival runs for 10 days, being named the world’s largest music festival.

But in all seriousness, the 4th of July is celebrated not to keep fireworks shops in business, but to celebrate the birth and successes of our country. Through all of the world wars, the gold rush, “Black Friday”, the Great Depression, the flappers of the 20’s, alcohol prohibition, the death of Elvis Presley, Cuban Missile Crisis, hippies of the 60’s, the Watergate Scandal, Saturday Night Fever, the Challenger, the 1996 Summer Olympics, and everything in between, our stars and stripes have stood for our freedom. Despite what we may hear about on the news, we put this all aside for one day to celebrate our nation’s history and future.

Whether you are planning on barbequing up some brats, marching in a parade, or simply spending your holiday with friends and family, we wish you a happy and safe Fourth of July.

This is a picture of historic downtown Greendale, also known as "the village". This 4th of July, the village will be packed with people celebrating our nation's Independence.

This is my Uncle Russy, captain of the Greendale Fire Department. He always rides in the first engine, leading the parade along with the police department. When I was a child, I used to ride on the engine with him and throw candy to the parade-goers. Fun fact: my sister was born in Greendale Ambulance 404.

My younger brother, Robert marching with the high school band. They have beautiful band uniforms but don't wear them for the parades because it will be around 90 degrees and 60% humidity when they are marching. Fun fact: me, my two sisters, and my brother all marched for Greendale High School's band.

My dad, my sister Elizabeth, and my mom waiting for the parade to start. This is a rare sight in that: 1. Neither myself nor my sister were actually in the parade (we are usually either with the band marching or singing with the community theater) 2. my grandpa wasn't in the picture for some reason, and he's usually sitting with us with a beer in his hand 3. my parents didn't bring their dogs this time.

Welcome to the Trans Zen Dental Blog

2008-06-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Trans Zen Dental Blog. I’m Katrina, the hygienist, and I welcome you to the first of many blogs. I thought long and hard about what would spark the interest of my many readers (which probably just includes Mary, the office manager because she has to proof read this, and my mom!). I did tons of research on what others were writing about in their dental blogs. While I found “traditional dental veneers can change the appearance of your smile… blah blah blah” truly fascinating, I didn’t want to bore my two loyal readers to death. I could also blab on and on about myself. I grew up in Wisconsin, and graduated from dental hygiene school in Minnesota. I moved down to the desert in early summer of 2007 and have been practicing as a dental hygienist ever since (which really isn’t that long, but who’s counting?). While I thought people would be fascinated to hear about my childhood, growing up in a small town, meeting my high school sweetheart at the malt shoppe, and going to college in the big city, I figured there would be room for that next time. I thought the best way to debut my first blog post was to discuss the age old question: why are all dental hygienists female?

I suppose you would have to know a bit more about me to understand why I’m qualified to write this blog. First, I grew up in a small town in Milwaukee, and for the most part, the only people I still communicate with are my two guy friends. In college, while other girls were sipping weak long island iced teas, I was hanging out with the guys at the keg. And finally, I have graduated and live in a large house with three guys and a puppy (who also happens to be a male). To put it simply: I know a lot about guys, I know how they think, and I know how much time it takes them to do their own dishes. Yet, I was still surprised when I entered the room during my college orientation and found that all of the people I would be going to hygiene school with for the next three years were all female! In fact, 99.1% of all dental hygienists in the state of Minnesota are female. I must say though, I did graduate with one male in my class, he just wasn’t there on the day of the orientation. I had a flash in my head to the movie, Meet the Parents where Ben Stiller’s character is consistently judged for being a male nurse. Although I must say that this lone ranger wasn’t being judged. In fact, I think he was envied. The only guy in a room full of girls all day, every day for three years! As you can imagine, it wasn’t as awesome as it sounds. But let’s get back on task: why ARE most dental hygienists female?
As a professional expert on not only dental hygiene, but on gals and fellas alike, I must say that there is nothing about the hygiene field that wouldn’t attract a woman’s attention.

First, ALL I do all day is talk. I talk to the doctor, the rest of the team at the office, I talk to the patients, sometimes I’m actually talking to myself. Every hour, on the hour, a new person enters my place of work, sits down, and gives me an opportunity to just start yapping. In fact, most of the time, my hands are in their mouth, so they can’t even respond. This, in turn, gives me more talking time. Women like that. Let me take the time right now to just put out a quick disclaimer: when we, as dental professionals, ask you a question and you respond with our fingers in your mouth, we do still understand what you’re saying, so just keep on a-talkin’!

The second and most obvious reason I realized while sitting at my house one day. As mentioned previously, I live with three males. While I love all three of them dearly, guys aren’t perfect. Aside from the whole dishes thing, they each buy a loaf of bread about every 6 hours which they, of course, never fully consume. We have about 40 half-eaten bags of tortilla chips scattered all over the kitchen. None of them keep on top of their mail, and while the majority of them are in medical school, they all receive various magazines I never knew existed. So after a long day of being at work, heading to pilates, slamming a protein shake and picking the dog up from day camp, I frequently find myself face to face with a kitchen counter covered with dirty dishes, about 10 twisty-tie bags of half-eaten loaves of bread, enough tortilla chips to feed half of Mexico, and several issues of Architecture Digest.

Any women out there reading this (MOM!) would probably cringe just at reading this last sentence, because it makes perfect sense what the average woman would do in this situation: spaz out, cancel dinner plans with the boyfriend and pray to the 409 Gods that something will remedy this mess instantly. Any fella out there reading this would probably shove all of the chip bags into the corner, set down their take out pizza they just brought home, and turn on the last of the basketball playoffs. Women have an obsession with cleanliness and organization. Dental hygienists have a personality complex that only worsens an obsessive compulsive disorder we develop while in hygiene school. All day, we clean teeth, that’s just what we do. We aren’t satisfied until every ounce of plaque and every micro bacteria is completely removed from the mouth. I know some of you patients out there run straight to the coffee shop after your dental appointment, but know that I rest my full 8 hours only after I ensure every speck of stain is removed from your teeth. That’s just me!

The last reason occurred to me just last night as I was heading to bed. As many of you know, Grand Theft Auto 4 was just released. I must admit, I spend an endless number of hours staring blankly with my mouth open at the projection screen on my roommate’s bedroom wall. I am mesmerized by how real the game is and how exciting the storyline is, and I know I’m not the only one intrigued by Nikko’s missions. A bit more into the depths of my roommate-hood: two of my roommates are in medical school, and one attends University Technical Institute (acronym: UTI. No kidney jokes, please) in Avondale for some sort of auto mechanic study. This poor kid has to be at school at 6:30 in the morning, meaning he has to leave our North Phoenix home at 5:40 am just to ensure he won’t be late in traffic. At about midnight last night, I was heading to bed when I noticed the tell tale glow from under his bedroom door. I immediately burst into his room and yelled at him to turn off his Playstation and get into bed! He literally responded “ok I will, I’m almost done with this mission!” Oh my fluoride trays, I’ve turned into my mother! But that’s just the reality of it.

At 23 years old, I’ve become my mother, because all women have a motherly instinct within them. Dental hygienists have to have a motherly instinct. It is our job to ensure that patients stay on top of their six month check-ups, that they are constantly aware of every area that may become a cavity and of course, the question all patients wish we never asked: “How often do you floss?” Patients love us because… we’re lovable! But sometimes we yell about flossing. It’s a love-hate relationship, kind of like moms… except we don’t get flowers from you every year on the second Sunday of May!

Images:

Top: My room mate, Jordan and I celebrating cinco de mayo with mini sombreros.

Bottom:Room mates Daniel, Darby (age 3 months), Me and Sean having a moment!