Dental Hygienist

Miranda Howie

English III Honors Pd. 3

Mr. Piatak

February 23, 2017

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A happy life starts with a healthy smile. An extremely important aspect in living a

healthy life includes one's dental hygiene. Many health effects come with bad dental hygiene.

Becoming a dental hygienist will help keep teeth, gums, and the body of many healthy. Dental

hygienist act as an example of a fascinating career choice; after much research, explaining the

history and day to day life of a dental hygienist, the colleges that offer degrees to achieve the

goal in this career, and the impact this career has on millions of lives.

Thousands of years ago dental hygiene began and it has improved ever since. All the way

back in 3,000 BCE, Mesopotamians developed the first dental tool, the toothpick, in present day

Iraq. The Mesopotamians used this to pick food out of the teeth of the Mesopotamian people. In

the 1700s a man by the name Pierre Fauchard invented another way of cleaning teeth. Pierres

inventions consisted of a toothpick, sponge, and brandy. Pierre found this approach to cleaning

teeth immensely effective. When this aspect of cleaning teeth Pierre Fauchard discovered, he

received the name nickname, father of modern dentistry (Timeline of). After the toothpick

came about, many more methods came with it.

In a 100 years dentistry significantly improved. By the 1800s numerous inventions arose.

Levi Spear Parmly invented the method of using waxed silk in 1819. Waxed silk includes a piece

of silk coated with wax and then dried. The use of waxed silk became common in the eighteen

hundreds. This consisted of using the waxed silk to clean the teeth and then brush excess food

off. Levi believed that this method kept the teeth healthy and clean (Timeline of). The

methods of cleaning teeth improves greatly each decade by amazing inventors.

In 1845, American Journal published one of the first dental hygiene breakthroughs. This

discovery consisted of using silk floss every two to three days to clean the teeth. This method
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helped prevent tooth decay of the people in the mid 1800s. Twenty years later in 1882,

Willoughby D. Miller discovered that microorganisms cause tooth decay. Not properly using the

teeth cleaning techniques invented in mid 1900s could lead to tooth decay by the microorganism

in the mouth. In the 1900s the largest dental health breakthrough occurred. During this time

many programs existed for people to learn more about dental hygiene and work to become a

dental hygienist (Timeline of). After decades of breakthroughs the importance of dental

hygiene came about.

Dental hygiene proves as an important factor in living a healthy life. Many dental

diseases can occur if anyone does not keep his/hers mouth clean. Gum disease, a disease that

commonly exists in an unhealthy mouth and shows up when one does not properly clean their

teeth. Tartar, a more dense form of plaque, forms onto the teeth and cements itself if not properly

removed. Simply brushing the teeth will not remove tarar, for that, one must visit the dentist.

Dental hygienists will scrape the tartar off the teeth which creates a healthier mouth. If

hygienists do not remove tartar this way, it can lead to serious effects bruising of the gums and

horrible smelling breath (Periodontal Disease). More effects come with having tartar on the

teeth when not removed correctly.

Periodontitis, a disease caused by the lack of cleanliness of the mouth, occurs when gaps

in the teeth form from the inflammation of the gums. When the gums become inflamed, they will

start to pull away from the teeth causing these gaps which will become infected. When these

gaps become infected it causes plaque to spread all over the mouth. While the body tries to fight

the bacteria that continues to spread in the mouth, natural toxins get released into the mouth

causing the bone and the tissue connected to the teeth to deteriorate. If a patient does not get
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treatment done to the mouth after these symptoms occur, it becomes an extremely dreadful

situation. This dreadful situation will include the loss of bone and tissue which hold the teeth in

tact. Teeth will begin to fall out of the mouth and or the dentist will have to remove the teeth.

(Periodontal Disease) After the teeth fall out of the mouth, nothing done to teeth can fix it.

Healthy gums will lead to a healthy heart and dental future. Periodontal disease leads to

many issues concerning the body including the heart. This disease not only affects the one who

has it but it also affects the offspring. Periodontal disease can lead to premature birth which,

proves unhealthy for a newborn. Premature birth can lead to harmful effects for a newborn

because they have not fully developed. This can become detrimental to the childs future health

(Corliss). Many diseases also linked to periodontal disease can affect one's future.

Diseases commonly linked to periodontitis include heart disease, diabetes, and

cerebrovascular disease. Cerebrovascular disease, caused by a stroke damaging arteries that carry

oxygen to the brain. Another disease linked to periodontitis includes rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the body experiences chronic pain due to the inflamed tissue in

between joints. Many of these commonly linked diseases can lead life threatening effects.

Keeping a healthy mouth can lead to a healthy life (Corliss). A healthy mouth consists of

frequent dental visits and impacts the future in the long term.

Maintaining a healthy mouth requires of dentist visits. Dental hygienists play an

important role in helping the people to continue to have a clean mouth. When deciding to

become a dental hygienist, one has to pick the right college which provides the mandatory

courses. While in high school, many different opportunities come up to start learning the basic

skills of a dental hygienist. While in high school, a good way to learn the day to day life in this
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profession includes interning as a dental hygienist at a local dentists office. Interning as a dental

hygienist helps with understanding what the future will hold for one who pursues this career.

Difficult college courses come with the challenge of college. While still in high school,

conducting helpful study habits will help one succeed in college (Flynn). Study habits used

commonly among many students include flashcards and online study sources.

College courses required for this field of work include english courses, basic sciences,

and clinical sciences. Required English classes include basic English, speech, sociology, and

psychology. The basic sciences include anatomy, physiology, pharmacy, immunology,

chemistry, microbiology and pathology. Lastly, the clinical sciences that an aspiring dental

hygienist needs to take to succeed includes, dental hygiene, radiology and dental materials.

Dental materials and radiology impact the future for an aspiring dental hygienist greatly (Dental

Hygienist Education). Dental materials help in the long run because the hands on learning of

the materials used daily in the dentist office (Barringer). Radiology, an important class required

class in college for this career consists of learning how to deal with the x ray equipment in the

office. Radiology consists of high radiation frequencies used for diagnosis and treatment

(Metrovi). All different kinds of classes provide the importance of learning how to the tools in

a dental office but radiology helps immensely.

After much research many colleges around the United States provide dental hygiene

courses. The top colleges in the United States that provide dental hygiene courses include,

University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, University of Michigan, University of

North Carolina, and Ohio State University. Many consider the University of Southern California

in Los Angeles, CA one of the the top colleges in the United States. Many students who attend
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the dental school say that the University of Southern California provides amazing programs

when seeking to work in this field. The students believe this because students who attend this

college get a chance in hands-on experiences throughout the clinics on the college campus. Many

dental programs exist for oral health care provided at The University of Southern California in

Los Angeles. USC also provides a Bachelors in Science and provide programs specifically for

dental hygienists such as Master of Science and Doctor of Dental Science. The programs made at

this college help improve the education of dental hygienist ("Top Colleges That Offer...").

Programs created at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA colleges to

improve students education in dental hygiene help one with succeeding to become a dental

hygienist.

The University of Michigan, another highly recommended school in the United States,

also has a great dental program. Students of the dental school in the University of Michigan

means gaining a spot in the dental hygiene honor society. The University of Michigan provides

Bachelors and Master's degrees. These include Bachelors of Science in Dental Hygiene, Masters

of Science in Dental Hygiene, as well as online courses for people who have not yet completed

the bachelor's degree and still have an associate's ("Top Colleges That Offer..."). The University

of Michigan provides different ways to complete their degree even if it means a student has to

complete the course online and not on campus.

The University of North Carolina, also one of the top colleges in the Unites States, has

become known for dental hygiene degrees. North Carolina only has one school in the entire state

which provides a Bachelors Degree in Dental Hygiene. The University of North Carolina also

offers graduates a Masters Degree in Dental Hygiene. UNC provides many dental hygiene
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courses ("Top Colleges That Offer..."). After completing dental hygiene courses and getting a

bachelor's degree after completing college, leads to the future of an upcoming dental hygienist.

After completing college and getting a degree in dental hygiene, to go onto working as a

dental hygienist, one must find the right dental practice. Finding the right practice to work at can

become difficult because of graduating college with not much experience at all. The best dental

practice to choose needs to have a happy dental family (Barringer). After hard work in finding

the right practice one must adjust to the work environment. Many hours spent weekly in a dentist

office working on patients teeth and keeping them clean. The average amount of hours that a

dental hygienist works can vary from 30 to 40 hours weekly depending on if he or she works a

full or part time job as a dental hygienist (Dental Hygienists). Salary can also vary depending

on the position one works in.

The salary provided by the practice one chooses acts as an important factor to keep in

mind while searching for the perfect place to work. The average yearly salary for a dental

hygienist, hovers around $72,330; per hour, it averages around $34.77 (Dental Hygienists).

Salary varies in each state due to location and the population. California currently holds the

highest salary pay for dental hygienist. Major cities in the United States that have high dental

hygienist salaries and wages include, San Francisco- Redwood City-South San Francisco,

California, Reno, Nevada, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California. Also Vallejo-Fairfield,

California, Longview, Washington, District of Columbia and many more. Redwood City

California has the highest paying salary and wages for dental hygienists in all of the United

States. The salary in Redwood City averages out to $108,800 a year. About five years ago, the

salary in this part of California averaged at $106,700 yearly, $2,000 less than the average now.
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The salary in Redwood City averages around $36,000, more than the nationwide salary. Reno,

Nevada holds the place of the second highest paid city for dental hygienists in the United States.

The salary in Reno, Nevada averages around $108,700 yearly. In Reno five years ago the yearly

salary averaged out around $88,600, $20,110 less than the average salary in Reno today. In Reno

the averages around $35,990, more than the nationwide salary today (Dental Hyg. Salary).

The averages in each states has risen in five years.

Oakland California has the third highest paid dental hygienists in the United States.

Oakland California provides a salary of $105,140 yearly. Around a year ago from now, the

average salary has stayed continuous. The salary in Oakland averages around $32,420 more than

the nationwide salary. Vallejo-Fairfield, another city in California that has one of the largest

salary pays for dental hygienists in the United States, has a salary average around $101,600

yearly. Five years ago, the salary in Vallejo-Fairfield averaged around $104,260 (Dental Hyg.

Salary). Although the salary average dropped in this area Vallejo-Fairfield California still

holds one of the high paying salaries for dental hygienists in the United States.

In Longview, Washington they take the place of the sixth most highest paid dental

hygienists in the United States averaging out at about $98,600. Five years ago from now the

salary in Longview, Washington averaged out at $98,900, 300 more dollars than the average

salary five years later. The salary might have dropped but Longview, Washington still holds one

of the highest rankings in dental hygienist salary pay. The salary pay in Longview, Washington

averages about $25,000 more than the nationwide salary. The District of Columbia has the 17th

highest paid dental hygienists in the United States. The salary in The District of Columbia

averages at $98,530 a year. About five years ago the salary in the District of Columbia averaged
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out at $88,320 yearly, $10,210 less than the salary pay today (Dental Hyg. Salary). The

salary in the District of Columbia averages around $25,810, more than the nationwide salary.

Salary benefits given to dental hygienists include, vacation, sick leave and contribution to

retirement funds. These benefits usually only apply to full time workers (Dental Hygienists).

After one chooses the practice most suitable, knowing what goes on in the actual dental office

setting becomes important.

While in the office, the dental hygienist needs to act calm and relaxed for the patient

coming to get their teeth cleaned. If the doctor shows discomfort, it can cause the patient to feel

uncomfortable with the visit and may become nervous. When approaching a patient the polite

greeting to the patient, by asking how they feel and how their past of dental health issues

(Mossman). When completed with asking the patient questions about their dental health move on

to examining their mouth (Flynn). While completing this task the dental hygienist must stay calm

and keep the patient relaxed and comfortable.

Simply having a uniform policy at a dental office comforts patients who may become

nervous while in the office. Scrubs act as a uniforms for dentist, dental hygienist and dental

assistants while in the office. Scrubs look like a plain uniform that dentists and or doctors wear

while working on a patient's mouth, but this can affect a patient's visit tremendously. These

simple scrubs show composure among the office. This lets people whom may feel anxious about

the visit become relaxed because of the maturity of the workers in the dental practice (Miller).

When the patient becomes relaxed the examination begins.

Examining a patient's mouth consists of examining the teeth, gums, and tooth decay, and

if any concerns come about, the patient's teeth need further examination. While examining the
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teeth and gums, the hygienist records any concerns that the patient should know when the

examination ends. If further examination becomes necessary the patient may need an xray done

(Flynn). When an x-ray takes place, the dental hygienist take an interior photograph of the mouth

to show any damage done to the teeth, gums, or jaw. After the examination of the patient's

mouth, they begin to clean the teeth. Many steps come with cleaning the patient's teeth, such as

removing any plaque buildup. After cleaning the plaque and any excess build up, the dental

hygienist polishes the patient's teeth to improve oral health and remove any yellow stains on the

teeth. When completed with removing buildup and stains on the teeth, the hygienist applies

fluoride onto the teeth to protect them from tooth decay (Flynn). Fluoride acts as a protecting

agent.

An important technique that dental hygienists use while cleaning teeth includes fluoride.

The application of fluoride to the teeth and gums help strengthen them. Fluoride has drastically

impacted the dental health of millions over the past ten years. The use of fluoride on teeth

provides protection for the tooth structure, and also can reverse any damage done to the teeth.

Many types of fluoride exist includes self applied, professionally applied, community water

fluoridation, and dietary fluoride supplements. A type of self applied fluoride includes,

toothpaste that contains fluoride. When starting to use fluoride at the age of three, this builds

strength and protect the teeth from any acid. Parents of children three years of age or older

should only use a small dab of the toothpaste. Another form of self applied fluoride

recommended by the American Dental Association resides in fluoride mouthwash. This

mouthwash should used only by children six years of age and older; due to the effects flouride

can have on children if swallowed (Oral Health). Quite a few negative effects come with
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fluoride, but many positives come with it too.

Professionally applied fluoride consists of gel, foam or rinse. These forms of fluoride

applied by dental hygienists seal the teeth protecting them from any acids that can attack the

teeth. Professionally applied fluorides have a longer duration than any self applied fluoride. The

application of fluorides will save money in the long run. The long term effects of fluorides will

cause less dentist visits due to of the decrease in the likelihood of tooth decay (Oral Health).

Dentists apply the fluoride to prevent tooth decay, but consumptions of liquid fluorides becomes

possible as well.

Water fluoridation can help immensely in the prevention of tooth decay. Fluoride in

water acts as a natural substance in which people can drink. The level of fluoride in which

healthy to drink consists of 0.7 parts fluoride per million parts of water (Oral Health).

Fluoride in water helps tooth decay but if the consumption of fluoride becomes high it can affect

child brain development (Dwyer). Too much fluoride causes harmful effects to children all over

the world.

Studies conducted in China say the consumption of water that contains high levels of

fluoride can affect the development of a childs brain. The National Knowledge Infrastructure

database examined over eight thousand children of the same age IQ. After examining the

children, they concluded that the fluoride in the water may cause a harmful effect on the

children's brain. The children who may become exposed to high levels of fluoride in the drinking

water average IQ drops .45. This may not seem as if it would affect the child in any way, yet it

does (Dwyer). Large consumptions of fluoride shown in China have become extremely harmful

but, children also live where fluoride levels become detrimentally low.
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Dietary fluoride supplements commonly used in areas where the water supply in a certain

area contains low fluoride. Low fluoride in the water can cause risks of tooth decay. These

supplements taken by children the age of six months to sixteen years of age. If a child has low

fluoride levels, a physician provides the necessary dosage. Many negative and positive effects

come with having low or high fluoride, but having the right amount prevents long term effects on

the teeth (Oral Health). After removing the fluoride and the examination reaches completion

the hygienist reads off any concerns recorded while in the process of examination. These

recordings help the patient understand any oral concerns that they can improve before their next

dental visit (Flynn). When a patient's comes back with a healthy smile this shows that they live a

healthy life.

Dental hygiene acts as the key to living a happy and healthy life. Positive and negative

effects come from dental hygiene. Dental hygienists keep teeth, gums, and the body of many

healthy and ready to take on the world. Dental hygienists help save lives all around the world due

to their hard work in college, finding the right practice to work in and assist in keeping smiles

bright and shining.

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Works Cited

American Dental Association. "Dental Hygienist Education and Training Requirements."

American Dental Association. Web.

<http://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/careers-in-dentistry/dental-team-careers/dental

-hygienist/education-training-requirements-dental-hygienist>
American Dental Association. "Oral Health Topics." American Dental Association. American

Dental Association, Web.

<http://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/fluoride-supplements>
Barringer, Susan. Phone interview. 12 Feb. 2017.

Corliss, Julie. "Treating Gum Disease May Lessen the Burden of Heart Disease, Diabetes, Other

Conditions." Harvard Health Publications. Web.

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ase-diabetes-conditions-201407237293>

"Dental Hygienists." Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Web.

<https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/mobile/dental-hygienists.htm>

Flynn, Simone Isadora. "Dental Hygienist." Salem Press Encyclopedia (2016): Research

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Dwyer, Marge "Impact of Fluoride on Neurological Development in Children." Harvard

T.H. Chan. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Web.

<https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/
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Metrovi, MD, PhD, 10 Jan. 2016. Web.

< http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Radiology.aspx>
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Mossman, Sharon L. "CE COURSE. Partnership: Calibrating Novice To Advanced

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